Deputy Senate Majority Leader Michael Gianaris is leading the push in Albany for a permanent $45 million free MTA bus program — the latest collapse of anarchy.
MTA statistics show that fare evasion on buses and subways continues to rise, along with disorder in the transit system.
Farebeaters now cost the MTA $690 million a year; Crime has become so common on city buses that many routes are already virtually free.
Sorry: paying $2.90 to cross town is cheap; skipping the ticket is not a “crime of poverty”, it is a sign of arrogant contempt for everyone.
And paying the fare is essential to maintaining basic order – a symbolic signing of the social contract.
Indeed, decades of data show that summary arrests allow police officers to arrest illegal gun carriers and other criminals – and reduce crime overall.
Perhaps that’s why Gianaris (D-Queens) is pushing to expand the taxpayer-funded $15 million free fare pilot program, which has been operating on five MTA routes (one per borough) since last September : he has become so pro-crime that he wants to eliminate it. a proven way to get criminals off the streets.
As heinous acts of crime become commonplace across the transit system, now is not the time to throw in the towel.
If lawmakers want to give the MTA more money, this shouldn’t be the case. endorse fare fraud, but for struggle he.
New York Post
