MTA Chair Using Scare Tactics to Try and Justify Congestion Pricing
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
At last Tuesday’s pro congestion pricing rally, MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said “Imagine if your family member was in an ambulance with their life on the line, idling in traffic because of congestion,” which followed a previous quote that “fire trucks can’t get to fires,” reminds me of Chicken Little’s “The Sky is Falling.” Where is the data in ambulance and fire truck response time for validation of Lieber’s statement implying loss of life?
Over-the-top rhetoric like this does nothing to build his credibility with commuters, transit advocates, taxpayers and those who will be paying these proposed new tolls. His use of the word goddamned when saying “These are self-styled problems-solvers who have never lifted a finger to solve a problem, even when there’s a half-finished rail line in their own goddamned district” was offensive to many religious people. He should wash his mouth out with soap for using such a profanity.
City Hall, Albany and Washington via the Federal Transit Administration already provide significant funding. Why not equal passion in dealing with $600 million in annual lost revenue due to fare evasion and more than $1 billion in excessive employee overtime and capital project cost overruns as well? Lieber should try sticking to the facts.
Larry Penner
Great Neck, N.Y.
Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.
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