ESTA Keeps up Pressure on State Lawmakers

The Empire State Transportation Alliance (ESTA) escalated its advocacy campaign this week around a financial rescue package for the transit system. Representatives met with dozens of lawmakers and distributed personalized district maps depicting how the MTA's bus and subway cuts will impact individual legislators' districts.

State leaders have begun to coalesce around a compromise brokered by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The "Silver compromise" is similar to the original recommendations of the Ravitch Commission, but would charge vehicles crossing the East and Harlem River Bridges $2 instead of $5.

The focus now turns to the State Senate. The editorial boards of the New York Post and the Daily News have called on Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith to reach an agreement with Speaker Silver and Governor Paterson.

As part of the coalition's advocacy efforts, Environmental Defense Fund hosted two forums on Wednesday and Thursday of this week to educate Senate and Assembly members and their staff on ideas to support cashless tolling technologies for the East and Harlem River bridges.

Download maps showing the service cuts in each Senate district by clicking through below.