MTA job well done, but undone

When Metropolitan Transportation Authority head Jay Walder leaves in a few months, he won't be able to claim "Mission Accomplished." He hasn't yet defeated the agency's demons.

He can, though, say that after two years of his leadership, the MTA's day-to-day finances are more stable, some modernization has been achieved and significant cost-savings have been realized.

In October, Walder will depart to head the Hong Kong-based Mass Transit Railway, a for-profit corporation that has an average weekday ridership of nearly 4 million (the MTA carries more than 8 million). He came to his current post after overseeing the finances and planning of London's subway system for seven years.

Appointed by former Gov. David A. Paterson in 2009, Walder took over a reeling system at a time when the entire state government was in tumult. The MTA faced a $900-million deficit and had just received a $2.3-billion bailout from Albany. Since then, the MTA has streamlined administration, eliminated 3,500 jobs, made service cuts and instituted fare increases of 7.5 percent every two years. The changes should generate $3.8 billion over five years.

But the biggest challenge for the MTA is getting its unions to accept the kind of concessions Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo hammered out with the state's biggest labor partners. Walder, less than halfway through his five-year term, leaves that undone.

Under Walder, the MTA improved in supplying up-to-the-minute information to commuters, but was hammered with complaints about Long Island Rail Road cancellations and delays during winter storms. He also faced anger for the payroll tax that was really the State Legislature's way to provide $1.4 billion annually to the MTA.

Here, Walder may be best remembered for overseeing the MTA's divorce from Long Island Bus, but he had the high ground over Nassau County, which simply refused to pay its bus bills.

Overall, Walder moved the MTA forward nicely. If there is a real complaint, it's that he won't complete the needed transformation.

A new leader must be found who is, ideally, much like him: a transit professional with an international reputation, a background in finance and planning and an apolitical leadership style.

The next MTA boss must cobble together $7 billion in funding and maintain steam on billions more in expense cuts to complete the 7 train extension, the Second Avenue subway, and East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal for the LIRR. Walder has a plan for this, with details coming this week, but making the pieces come together will be harder than dreaming them up was.

The new MTA head will also arrive to fierce and renewed pressure to abolish the MTA payroll tax, even though the MTA has no power to levy or lift taxes. It's the legislature that needs to find a stable, appropriate way to fund transit, but the new hire will have to make that case. What's called for is a seasoned, hard-nosed professional who understands and can swim in the political streams of the city, the state and Washington and not be dragged under. Walder did well in a very big job, but now Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has to replace him with someone who has the same far-reaching vision and practical experience.