Why Obama administration is neglecting NYC?

[NYtiger6]

at your mentioning of a few hamlets with a few thousands population as if they are the only places served by MTA's commuter lines. FY1, Metro-North was used by more than 80 million people in 2009 and LIRR by 83 million.

So what you're trying to tell me is about half the country rode an MTA commuter rail last year? I don't think so. That's total people and not unique riders. If I rode it to and from work every day it would count me as 730 people over the course of the year, but I'm still one person.

Also, a few hamlets? What is this, Little House on the Prairie? Those are towns and cities, where a huge number of the people who work in your beloved city live. Without them, the economy of this city would have died decades ago.

 

[DonQuixote]

Wajdan,
Fisrt, I'll admit that I haven't read all of the posts, silly and serious, to the end before replying BUT, I have read a lot, and get the gist of the situation.
1. Yes, NYC relies on its mass transit - which is heavily subsidized. I live in the "other" New York, the one like most of the country that relies on owning my own car. I pay full ride on my car - loan on the '04, repairs and maintenance, INSURANCE, and Gas - with a HEAVY federal and state excise and sales tax that funds not only road repair, but also your subway.

If the people of NYC paid "full" ride for their mass transit, a lot more would be walking. Once their personal budgets were adjusted to accomodate, there wouldn't be such a deficit.

2. The woes of much of the nation, let alone NYS and NYC especially, can be laid at the feet of the cash cow we New Yorkers reaped the benefit of for years - taxes from the exhorbitant salaries/bonuses of Wall St. But, BOTH sides of the National aisle allowed deregulation to go too far - I thought we learned with the S&L scandal in TX way back in the 80's, guess not.

NO, we let the "bankers" forget that it was REAL money - and our retirement funds - that they were "playing" with. So, fast forward, take a nose dive in revenues, and we're all left with a too big gov't with too little $$ to pay for it.

3. "Albany" - interesting euphemism. As a representational gov't, "Albany" is just the place the legistators meet. Yeah, the same ones who won't CUT stuff to balance the budget because this that and the other union won't like it.

Dave has his problems, but at least he's been public about the problems and ASKED the Legislature to "Man-Up" and do something about it - NYC controls the State Gov't by and large - you have 1/2 the population in your 5 burroughs.
And, a helluva lot of $$$. Don't kid yourself.

We can't afford to pay more in taxes. We are already losing our manufacturing base and young people.

Your housing costs are ridiculously high because "everyone" wants to live there.

Oh, and that "economic stimulus" money - it's to create jobs, develop things, NOT plug holes in budgets for routine shit. A goodly chuck of the stimulus is for transportation construction - If the NYC Subway needs some capital improvements - new lines and such - that MIGHT qualify for some of the funds - but not just to pay to keep the line running - PAY your FAIR SHARE of the cost of running the thing.

My city bulldozed their subway the year I was born - over 50 years ago. The busses don't go where I need them when I need them. I wish I could take a subway - I enjoyed the peaceful rides when my son was in school in DC and we visited - you can read the paper or a book - I have to fight traffic, weather, and shell a helluva lot more out in a year just to get between my job and home than you'll ever pay for a year's worth of subway tolls.

 

[Spiff]

The Obama administration, or any federal government administration, is an equal opportunity neglector among the states.

 

[btimsah]

I actually think this is how we could see (over years) a civil war situation. There are two America's. One is progressive, think California and New York. One is not, think Texas.

I think America might divide up as the Federal Government will try to bailout these failed progressive states. The non-progressive states may unite and threaten to suceed. This is after years of this unemployment situation, massive federal debt, dollar collapse and a much poorer country mind you.

Obama is not neglecting NYC. New York has been.

 

[DonQuixote]

I consider myself a Social Liberal, but a Fiscal Conservative.
I live in the suburbs so my kids can have a good, public education. I pay property taxes to cover the costs - cities get a larger % of state and federal school funds than their populations would suggest, so we take up our own slack.

I love NY. But our taxes are killing us. Only about 12% of our County budget is non-state mandated - welfare, medicaid, etc. If unemployment hits the Big Apple hard, and people have to move out, your overall infrastructure costs, and rentals, etc., will market down.

I want a robust economy. I want people to be taken care of. I want people to help themselves, too. I'd really like to see NYC/NYS buy up the foreclosures in Detroit, Chicago, and transplant the poor families out of the ghettos. They'd get REAL homes, smaller populations, schools, job opportunities as the economy recovers - $7000 for a 2000SF house and you own it, instead of 1200-2500/month in rent in NYC?

Think about it. I'm not against people - I think a lot would benefit from a program like this. America became great from "Go West, young man, Go West".

The ultra liberal (or is that beholding to special interests) lawmakers who visit Albany are killing this state, as surely as the Unions, which served a very important purpose once upon a time, killed Detroit. Gimme Gimme Gimme.

Or, as JFK said "Ask not what your country can do for You but, rather, what YOU can do for your country."

And, he was the Poster Child for Liberal America.

Let's see - My car expenses:
I drive a '99 with 160K miles on it. My wife has the "new" car - an '04 with 60K on it. We still have 15 months of payments to go on my wifes.

Car Payment: (66 mos, Used) $365/Mo - so $12/day
Insurance: $100-$125/mo - $3.50/day on avg for older cars
Maintenance: Let's call it $600/year - probably low, but - so $50/month on average ~ $1.67/day
FUEL: $42/week basic commuting $6/day
(Includes the aforementioned TAXES that help subsidize your subway- 370 miles away from me)
That's the expense for one driver - we have two cars because we both work and have different schedules - we don't have the option of "renting" our transpo. My car is paid for, but my repairs are higher.
$12 + 3.50 + 1.67 + $6 = 23.17 EVERY DAY, 7 days a week average. How much is your subway fare?

And, I'm not driving NEW cars. Or particularly expensive ones. Modest, durable, mid-size cars. No flashy Beemers or Caddies or Porsches in my driveway. 6 and 11 year old Subaru's.

 

[DonQuixote]

And about 90% of your population, too, if memory serves me.