Smaller LIRR fare hikes likely in 2015, MTA official says

Some Long Island Rail Road commuters will likely see smaller fare increases next year than they may have expected, a key MTA official said Tuesday.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board member Mitchell Pally said that, unlike the case in past years, the MTA will try to keep the size of the increase on every LIRR monthly commuting ticket as close to the agency's goal of 4 percent as possible. In the past, to achieve its designated percentage increase in fare revenue, some LIRR commuter passes went up by more than twice that percent.

For example, the MTA's last rate hike, in 2013, sought to raise fare and toll revenue by 7 percent, but LIRR monthly passes went up by as much as 15.3 percent, depending on the origin and destination. Pally, of Stony Brook, said that won't be the case this time.

"The intent is to, as much as possible, keep everybody to 4 [percent]," Pally said. He added that some tickets will rise by slightly less or slightly more, but the increases would not likely reach even 5 percent.

The MTA is expected to release the details of its fare hike plan this week. Pally said the agency is considering various options for bus and subway riders, including a plan that would see the cost of a ride climb by 25 cents to $2.75. But under all its proposals, unlimited-ride 30-day MetroCards would go up by $4.50, to $116.50, and seve-day MetroCards would rise by $1 to $31, Pally said.

The MTA will hold public hearings on the proposals next month, including in Huntington on Dec. 3, before voting on a final plan, Pally said.

MTA spokesman Adam Lisberg declined to give details on the upcoming fare proposals but said they "are not final."

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

"The MTA has been clear that it will keep future fare and toll increases to the rate of inflation," Lisberg said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a group of LIRR riders' advocates pushed Tuesday for the restoration of a federal tax break for commuters that could save the average LIRR commuter $1,300 a year and more than offset the impending fare increase.

Schumer joined LIRR Commuter Council chairman Mark Epstein at the Mineola LIRR station to rally for the restoration of the commuter tax benefit. It allows public transportation users to pay the cost of their monthly commutes in pretax dollars through employer-administered programs such as WageWorks.

When the benefit expired in January, the allowable amount of deductible income was rolled back to $130 per month -- the pre-2009 rate, plus a small increase. Restoring the higher rate would nearly double that amount to $250. Rosemary Mascali, manager of the LIRR's Transit Solutions program, said that under the higher rate a commuter making $40,000 a year would save about 40 percent of his or her commuting costs up to $250 -- or roughly the cost of a monthly commuter pass from Mineola.

While the rate rolled back to pre-2009 levels, motorists who commute by car are still allowed to set aside $250 to pay parking costs.

Schumer said if restored before January, the tax break could cover some 2014 commuting costs retroactively.

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.