Regional Plan Association celebrates a century of research, planning, and advocacy

  • the latest
  • about
    • Who We Are

    • About RPA
    • Our Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Committees
    • Join Our Team
    • Financials
    • History

    • Regional Plans
    • Timeline
    • Centennial
  • contact
  • search
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Vimeo
  • Our Work

    Reports

    View and search the archive of RPA reports.

    View All

    Campaigns

    Learn about our ongoing advocacy work.

    View All

    Research Areas

    • Energy & Environment
    • Housing & Neighborhood Planning
    • Transportation
    • Governance
  • Our Region
  • Events

    Upcoming Events

    Discover upcoming events.

    View All

    Assembly

    Learn more about our annual spring conference.

    • 2023 Assembly
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Past Assemblies

    Benefit

    Learn more about our fall celebration.

    View

  • Support
  • Our Work
    • Reports
    • Campaigns
    • Research Areas

    • Energy & Environment
    • Housing & Neighborhood Planning
    • Transportation
    • Governance
  • Our Region
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • 2023 Assembly
    • Benefit
  • Support
  • the latest
  • about
    • Who We Are

    • About RPA
    • Our Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Committees
    • Join Our Team
    • Financials
    • History

    • Regional Plans
    • Timeline
    • Centennial
  • contact
  • search
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Vimeo

Aug 26 2020

News Release

Statement on Metropolitan Transportation Authority Service Cuts and Postponed Capital Projects

share

NEW YORK, NY - The following statement can be attributed to Scott Rechler, Chairman of Regional Plan Association and CEO, RXR Realty:

“The tri-state region, the largest regional economy in the country, simply does not move without the MTA. These proposed service cuts would bring our region’s recovery to a halt. Congress must put politics aside and pass a stimulus package without delay in order to keep the economy moving forward.”

The following statement can be attributed to Tom Wright, President and CEO of Regional Plan Association:

“We are gravely concerned by the potential for massive service cuts, layoffs, and the delay of capital projects that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced at the agency’s special board meeting today. The coronavirus pandemic has so badly damaged the agency’s finances that without $12 billion in federal aid, it will be forced to reduce subway, bus, and commuter rail service, layoff staff, and gut the capital projects.

Even the catastrophic measures outlined today - a potential 40-50% service cut, elimination of rail service to Rockland and Orange Counties, fare increases, thousands of layoffs, delays of capital projects, and more - raise less than half of the $12 billion needed to cover the projected deficit.

As RPA demonstrated in our May report Essential Service, the MTA’s hands are tied. None of the options available to the MTA will balance the agency’s budget without creating devastating near- and long-term consequences for every New Yorker, especially the essential workers and low-wealth residents who rely on public transportation the most.

Citizens and advocates nationwide have told the federal government for months that transit service will suffer immeasurably without more federal aid. By choosing not to support the MTA, Congress is showing disregard for the future of the nation’s largest regional economy.”

Written by

  • Wright Tom 3 cropped

    Tom Wright

    President & CEO

Related News-Release Posts

Nov 2020
in Transportation
Testimony to MTA Board of Directors 11/18/2020
Oct 2020
in Housing & Neighborhood Planning
New Regional Plan Association Report Sorts Fact from Fiction for New York City Metropolitan Area, Outlines How Region Can Come Back Stronger, Fairer, More Resilient
Sep 2020
in Transportation
Metro Area Residents Back the Gateway Program, Plan to Return to Transit
Aug 2020
in Transportation
Testimony to the New York State Legislature at Metropolitan Transportation Authority COVID Hearing

Receive our monthly newsletter, insider updates and exclusive invitations to RPA events.

become a member today

New York

One Whitehall St
16th Floor
New York, NY 10004

New Jersey

179 Nassau Street
3rd Floor
Princeton, NJ 08542

60 Union Street
Suite 1-N
Newark, NJ 07105

Connecticut

2 Landmark Square
Suite 108
Stamford, CT 06901

Connect

  • 212.253.2727
  • info@rpa.org
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Vimeo

Want to get involved?

Sign up for our newsletter to hear about the latest reports and events.

sign up

All content 2023. All rights reserved. .