MTA changes, taxes and affordability

MTA changes incur riders' wrath

So now Long Island Rail Road tickets would expire in just four hours, instead of two months [“Union fights back on LIRR change,” News, Aug. 2]. The change aims to address riders waiting to activate their electronic tickets until a conductor comes to inspect them. This also would apply to paper tickets.

I have been on an almost empty train from Penn Station to Massapequa Park several times and have not had my ticket collected, and it’s about an hour’s trip. Where were the conductors? Maybe that is the real problem.

And canceling round-trip tickets? So now a commuter must stop and buy a return ticket? How terribly inconvenient.

— Judy Riccuiti, Farmingdale

The new policies apparently were created by a Metropolitan Transportation Authority board that never rode the railroad. The board claims that in the “good old days” everyone bought tickets right before they boarded. So, customers bought tickets in the morning and then waited until they’re going home to buy their ride home? Those irregular commuters would buy multiple tickets to avoid wasting time or forgetting to buy later. And buying in advance gives the MTA free use of the money.

In the “good old days,” the conductor would sometimes not punch a ticket. Is that equal to jumping a turnstile?

If the MTA is losing $24 million a year in uncollected fares, I suggest hiring more conductors. And give seniors a discount during the morning rush. They already get a discount in the evening. Why didn’t they always get it in the morning?

Conductors treat us like customers with good service. The MTA board seems to want to treat us like enemies

— Mark Weintraub, Old Bethpage

According to the MTA website, approximately 250,000 customers ride the LIRR every weekday. MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber says that 90% buy tickets within four hours, meaning 25,000 people per day don’t buy them within four hours of boarding.

Disregarding the needs of 25,000 riders daily is callous. I’m retired and generally only go into Manhattan for doctor appointments. I check the train schedules and buy my tickets at least a day in advance, usually two or three days ahead. With all of the technology currently available, making tickets valid for only four hours is a dumb way to fix a problem. — Bill Yovino, Rockville Centre

Imagine a business that negligently fails to collect $24 million in receivables trying to make up the shortfall by increasing prices and shortening billing cycles. That’s how the MTA is planning to make up for its failure to collect fares — it’s their problem, not ours.

The four-hour limit permits the MTA, in effect, to steal from customers who change travel plans. The MTA needs a 21st century solution, such as electronic activation of e-tickets as a passenger enters a train or scanning of all tickets before entering the platform.

As for raising fares, the MTA needs to raise its level of service. It is allowed to operate a monopoly, so they owe the public better solutions in return.

— Daryl Altman, Lynbrook

It seems more than just a coincidence that with the sudden “success” of congestion pricing, the MTA has now decided on a fare increase across the board.

With more people opting for public transportation to avoid the rising cost of driving into the city, it was only a matter of time before the MTA “put two and two together” and realized it could make even more money off the increase in ridership. The whole thing appears to be a money grab.

— Tom Sena, Merrick

We need to also retain our future tax base

Long Island is facing two interconnected issues. One is affordability, but the other is retention and future of its tax base [“LIers like living here, but not what it costs,” News, July 27].

As young individuals and families get priced out, Long Island loses not only diversity but also the next generation of taxpayers and community members. Today, it’s rare to find a home under $400,000. For many young adults, homeownership is out of reach, and rent prices seem to provide no relief either.

While flashy multifamily housing developments remain a popular option to solve the issue, their steep price barriers show us that the investors win and everyday residents are left behind. This kind of multifamily development does little to address the affordability crisis.

Bold solutions are necessary along with smarter zoning reform and support for renters and first-time homebuyers.

— Gabriela Ulin-Mejia, Bayport