MTA Deputy Director for Corporate and Community Affairs called to say there’s some good news in President Bush’s fiscal year 2008 budget.
Bush promised cash for the Second Avenue subway and the project to bring the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Terminal in his 2008 budget unveiled yesterday.
“We’ve been working with them toward this goal, but until it appears in black and white nothing is a done deal,” Boylan said. “We’re happy. Its very good news.”
The $3.8 billion first phase of the Second Avenue subway will get $1.3 billion over a yet-to-be-determined number of years. The $6.3 billion Grand Central Terminal project, known as East Side Access, will receive $215 million from the federal government.
“Every year the budget is a document that contains a lot of surprises some good, some bad and these are good,” Boylan said.
But the American Public Transportation Association, the national lobbying group, didn’t find much to cheer.
From APRA prez William Millar:
“APTA is very disappointed that President Bush’s proposed FY 2008 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) budget for public transportation security falls well short of the funds needed to ensure the safety of the Americans who take public transportation 9.7 billion times a year.
Regrettably, the Bush Administration failed to make any significant effort to enhance transit security. Instead, the Bush Administration chose to freeze security funding for transit, passenger rail, and freight rail security at $175 million – the same amount appropriated by Congress for FY 2007.
In addition, it is unfortunate that once again, the Administration did not propose funding for transit security standards or the Public Transit Information Sharing Analysis Center (ISAC). Both of these programs are two important national efforts that could significantly enhance transit security for a minimal cost. For the first time, the Bush Administration has dedicated $175 million for transit, passenger rail, and freight rail in the budget, instead of a larger infrastructure pool, and this is a step in the right direction.”
And oddly enough, Scott Stringer, the liberal Manhattan borough president, praised Bush for including $130 million in grant money for congestion pricing initiatives.
“Overall, I have enormous problems with the president’s proposed budget. I can’t believe I’m saying these words, but I applaud the Bush administration for their forward thinking on the issue of congestion.”
-- Chuck Bennett
