AMNY Subway Tracker

(via mta.info)

The MTA will honor former Board Chairman Peter Kalikow at this Wednesday's board meeting, and give him the customary--and appropriate--chair, a board member says.
Kalikow will receive a chair donning a bronze nameplate for his service. The real estate mogul served as head of the board since former Gov. George Pataki appointed him in 2001 until another mogul, Dale Hemmerdinger, took over late last year.

MTA chairman Peter Kalikow was awarded the American Spirit Medallion from the National World War II Museum last week.

Peter Kalikow is President of H.J. Kalikow & Company, LLC, one of New York's leading real estate firms. He has a long history of public service in local, state and national politics, including his current position as Chairman of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. An enthusiastic student of World War II and military history, Kalikow developed a close relationship with Dr. Stephen Ambrose, one of the country's most renowned World War II historian and authors.

In 1990, Kalikow funded the original feasibility study that launched Dr. Ambrose's vision to build a museum to tell the story of the D-Day invasion at Normandy. That gift was the first step toward the creation of the Museum, which opened in 2000. Kalikow served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 2003-2005.

In large part, his work on behalf of the Museum is a tribute to his father, the late Harold J. Kalikow, who served with the U.S. Marine Corps at Guadalcanal. Father and son were honored together as Men of the Year by the UJA-Federation in 1976 and received the Norman Tishman Award from the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith in 1978. Peter Kalikow also received The Peace Medal, the State of Israel's highest civilian award, in 1982 for his many years in aiding the nation's development.

Hamptons.com is again praising Peter Kalikow for his fast action in filling the potholes at the LIRR Montauk Station.

A Harlem resident writes to say, he was just as responsive to her subway worries.

And, Kalikow wins "2006 Louis Vuitton Classic Award for his 1961 Ferrari 250GT California, his favorite in his 45-car collection."

-- Chuck Bennett

MTA Chair Peter Kalikow and his family fortune has been back in the news. (third item down).

Apparently, Kalikow bought two tax shelters for $3.2 million from disgraced Greenberg Traurig attorney Jay Gordon in 1999. Five years later, the IRS rules those shelters are illegal. Kalikow, never a sucker, demanded an answer.

Kalikow complained to Greenberg and after an internal investigation it transpired that tax-shelter sponsor Fortrend International paid Gordon $292,000 (£153,000) as a referral fee for Kalikow’s custom. Kalikow claims no knowledge of the fee. (The Lawyer)

In effect, Kalikow uncovered Gordon’s$1.3 million kickback scheme. This all just came to light after Gordon formally resigned from the New York bar.

Marty McLaughlin, Kalikow’s spokesman, tells The Tracker that Kalikow was the victim and he still has a business relationship with Greenberg Traurig.

-- Chuck Bennett

The other day we reported that a rumored candidate to take the helm of the MTA, Elliot Sander, donated $3,000 to the campaign of Eliot Spitzer. By comparison, MTA chair Peter Kalikow gave Gov. Pataki $30,000 and state Republican committees$65,000, according to Common Cause NY.

-- Chuck Bennett

At the Association for a Better New York breakfast today, Mayor Bloomberg and Florida Gov. Jeb Bush talked education. Each city school know will get a special report card ranking its progress.

The sample report card was called the Fred C. Dobbs Elementary school.

“Now, for those of you know the names of all 1400 of our public schools, you’ll say ah, but there is no Fred C. Dobbs Elementary School. Let me tell you, we chose that name for a reason. How many fans of American movie classics are there here? Do you know the Fred C. Dobbs ... Kalikow, I would figure you would be the one to know this.”

“You’re 100% right. That is really impressive. Now, how late was the number 4 train leaving 59th St.?” Bloomberg quipped.

Dobbs was the gold hungry adventurer played by Humphrey Bogart in 1958 classic The Treasure of Sierra Madre, whose famous line was “No one puts anything over on Fred C. Dobbs.”

So, if Kalikow is a Bogart fan, maybe that explains the stylish hats.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

The NY Times runs a rehash of July budget numbers and service cut proposals. TV news people go nuts with it. Roger Toussaint jumps in with a press conference. Then in the afternoon, MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow promised to oppose any service cuts. Now that's fast.

-- Chuck Bennett amNY.com

MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow, who inherited a real estate fortune, provided some insight into how the family runs the business today while discussing the Hudson Yards deal.

“My mom says that if a guy is giving you $2 billion dollars. You should at least offer him a cup of coffee and sponge cake,” he said.

-- Chuck Bennett

Charged words: Mayor Bloomberg sparked a public spat with Queens lawmakers in residents after a praising Con Ed chief Kevin Burke’s handling of the blackouts which left thousands of folks in the dark and wreaked havoc on subway schedules. [amNY]

Found money: Better than expected real estate tax revenues brought in $211 million more than expected to the MTA. But how that plays out in the preliminary budget tomorrow is unclear. Anyway, the MTA’s “found” money and growing surplus is becoming a reoccurring story. [amNY]

West Side Yards: It looks like a vote on the city’s $500 million offer for the rail yards won’t be rushed through a board vote tomorrow. Too many questions and not enough time, board members say. [Newsday via amNY]

Maybe he’s no a morning person. Union protests outside MTA Chair Peter Kalikow’s home yesterday. But was Kalikow even there? Meanwhile, an analysis by the Daily News concludes that the union’s public pressure campaign failed to get its contract ratified failed. Binding arbitration begins August 4. [amNY, Daily News]

Hit on the job: Transit worker Dexter Stinson, 38, was hit early yesterday morning by a No. 2 train near the Jackson Ave. stop while inspecting something on the tracks. A cherry picker was need to haul the 300 pound man to an ambulance. Rescue workers couldn’t handle him alone? Between two people it seems manageable. Anyway, Stinson, a train operator who joined the MTA in 1998, was in intensive care last night. [NY Post]

Second Ave. subway: The MTA is moving forward with underground easements to build the first part of the Second Ave. subway from 96th Street to 63rd St. Completion date is still 2012. [Daily News]

Oooh that smell: Curbed has a lively discussion on various smells on the subway and PATH. [Curbed]

Photo by amNY

-- Chuck Bennett

Transit union members will again protest outside of MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow’s Upper East Side house.

They’ve already picketed outside his house once before and also outside the home of MTA board member Barry Feinstein. If Roger Toussaint appears it should be his first public appearance in weeks.

In case, you forgot, they are protesting “the continued inaction by Kalikow and the MTA board on the contract that the MTA and TWU Local 100 agreed upon in December 2005.”

I don’t know how effective the protests are, but at least they’ll give people something gossip about at the board committee meetings later that morning.

-- Chuck Bennett

Kalikow speaks: The MTA chair responds to readers questions in today’s News. No real surprises in his answers.
    On the overwhelming summer heat in subway stations:
     “I'm not sure there is an absolute way to solve the problem (in stations). ... It's an open system. I  think July and August in New York is going to be July and August in New York.”

Can you pick me up on one of these weekends in one of your fancy Italian sports cars when I need to go  grocery shopping?
As long as you don't have too many groceries. There's not much room. We'll see what we can do. (I hope the News makes sure Kalikow does indeed give that reader a ride)

    On the contract impasse:
    “For some reason, these things never work out the way you want them to work out.”  [Daily News]

HEET Guards: The TA is spending $265,000 in install guards around the new emergency exits to keep farebeaters from reaching in and pushing the door open. [Daily News]

More heat on HEETs: Inspired by the News, now the AP takes a look at the much-hated HEETS. [AP via amNY]

Dirty job: A city worker was sent crawling though the 54-inch sewer pipe that is leaking raw sewage onto the G line. Problem is still unknown. [amNY]

G is for gross: The News also takes a look on the “sewage swamped” G train. [Daily News]

Captive victim: Even though more and more riders are getting their MetroCards via vending machines, fo rthe second time this month a token-booth clerk was robbed at gunpoint. The union is putting up a $1,000 reward for the perp. [NY Post] Meanwhile, union e-board member Marvin Holland, who represents station agents, tells the Tracker that these type of robberies are not getting the attention they deserve.

If the train doesn't fit: New double decker train cars barely make it through the tunnel into Penn Station. [NY Times]

Photo by Newsday

-- Chuck Bennett

Save the G coalition takes MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow up on his offer to answer rider questions. They e-mail these suggested questions:

“Want to know why the G train is 4 cars, with no extra cars on order? Want to know why G trains come 12 minutes apart - at best -- during rush hours? Want to know why the G never goes through Queens on weekends any more? Want to know why the G's schedule is always changing?”

Again, here’s where you send them: AskKalikow@nydailynews.com or fax them to (212) 643-7831

-- Chuck Bennett

Have a gripe for Peter Kalikow, the man recently reappointed to run the MTA for six more years? Well, the Daily News is giving you a chance to reach out to him directly. (This is the same paper whose editorial board blasted his reappointment.)

Email: AskKalikow@nydailynews.com

Fax: 212-643-7831

-- Rolando Pujol

Photo: Audrey C. Tiernan, Newsday

Kaikow today answered the transit union’s charge that the “Tap & Go” program will lead to less workers in the subway.

“All of the things we put in, technological advances, we never replace personnel. We never use it for that. And in fact, some personnel can be redirected and there will be more customer service representatives,” the chairman said.

But, to be clear that no workers will taken out, New York City Transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges just sent this statement:

“This trial has absolutely nothing to do with staff reductions. Since when is providing alternatives to customers, and exploring the latest in technology aimed at reducing employees? This is just a trial of new technology, to determine if it is adaptable in the transit environment. Remember this is technology we haven't committed to deploying – that decision will be made after the trial is over. This has absolutely nothing to do with getting rid of people. The Union leadership needs to come up with another line, this one is getting real tired.”

When the 158 token booths were closed in 2004 all of the 600 clerks stayed in the system, many of them
as customer service agents.

-- Chuck Bennett

Two angry transit workers joined the regular gadflies during the public comment period of the MTA board meeting.

Omega Greene, a customer information agent for First Transit, the contractor that runs ParaTransit harangued MTA chair Peter Kalikow. She accused him of not doing anything to address what she described as a racist environment at First Transit. Supervisors, she said, referred to blacks as “these people” and even “savages.” She said there are still segregated bathrooms and no security whatsoever on First Transit premises.

Greene is a section chair with the TWU Local 100.

Her colleague, Rosalyn Carr, a train operator and also an organizer with the union, then took the podium and blasted Kalikow for “taking $50,000 away from a grieving widow at her time of need.”

Train operator Emery Alexander died on the job this Monday, she said. But because there is no new contract, Alexander’s wide is not eligible for the $50,000 death benefit agreed to in the post-strike
contract. That provision is in limbo like every other aspect of the contract.

Kalikow appeared to be listening intently to the two women and remained stone-faced but did not comment to them on their remarks.

-- Chuck Bennett

MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow entertained a handful of questions today after a full board meeting that seemed to be stuck in the summer doldrums.

On sticking around:
“It is not common practice for MTA chairs to step down when there is a gubernatorial change. As I said on my confirmation, I will leave when I think the important projects I have been working on are either completed or well on the way to completion.”

If asked by the next governor to step down:
“I’ll deal with that when it occurs.”

The projects he likes:
“Second Avenue Subway, East Side Access, No. 7, South Ferry, Fulton Transit and other important administrative issues.”

But he said, the projects just have to be on the way to be completed with full funding agreements not actually finished.

-- Chuck Bennett

Strapped in: The big transit news of the day was MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow announced to stick around for another term regardless of who the next governor is. [amNY] and [Daily News]

UPDATE: Andrew Albert, the rider representative on the MTA board, called for a clarification on the Kalikow story. The Senate confirmed  Kalikow to another term on the board while Gov. Pataki appoints the chairman.

Albert also found it noteworthy that the JFK- Rail Link, a pet project of Pataki, wasn’t among Kalikow’s list of five important projects he wants to see progress on during his next term.

Vic still loves NY: The first victim of alleged subway stabber Kenny Alexis was released from the hospital yesterday. “Everyone has their stereotypes of [New York] being cold and heartless, but I've only felt warm feelings from everyone,” said Christopher McCarthy, 21. No word, though, on the conditions on the two Canadian tourists who were stabbed. [Daily News]

-- Chuck Bennett

Ed Watt, Secretary-Treasurer of Transport Workers Union Local 100, on the developments concerning Peter Kalikow in Albany today:

“This is just a frivolous attempt by George Pataki to continue to burden New Yorkers with his failed leadership long after his political career ends. Under Peter Kalikow, the MTA has been the most mismanaged and corrupt public agency in New York and possibly the entire country. Only George Pataki would think it prudent to reward a man who has lied more than once about MTA finances to justify fare increases, and who has completely ignored bus and subway security in the face of constant terror threats.”

Obviously, there is no love there.

-- Chuck Bennett

"I don't work for the governor, I don't work for the Legislature, I work for the people of the State of New York, and everything I do, or when I do something, I say, what is best for the people of the State of New York."

And, what he will do to inspire confidence in the next governor?

"I don't know. I'll just keep doing the job I'm doing. I hope he likes me."

-- Chuck Bennett

Peter Kalikow just told the Tracker he is sticking around for a while.

“There are five projects that are very important to the system and the agency and I intend on staying until [they] are in a place, that I get them done,” Kalikow said.

Those projects are: digging the Second Avenue Subway, extending the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Station, expanding the No. 7 train to the West Side, building the new Fulton Street station, and rehabilitating the South Ferry station.

"I  want to get them done, and whatever  it takes it takes,"  he said.

Needless to say, Senate Democrats weren't pleased. State Sen. Kevin Parker said Gov. Pataki is trying to "govern from beyond the grave."

-- Chuck Bennett

This just in: The State Senate Finance committee confirmed MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow for another 6-year term. The question is, will he stick around past January?

-- Chuck Bennett

Overlooked in a Chief article this week (no link available) was this warning from the transit union prez on more protests like the ones outside MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow’s home:

“Mr. Toussaint responded that the union planned more of the same, with visits to the homes of other MTA board members likely. A demonstration outside MTA headquarters is also expected during its next board meeting.”

So who’s next?

-- Chuck Bennett

From the TWU:

"New York transit workers will gather Thursday outside the home of MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow to hand out leaflets to his neighbors from 6:30-8:00 am. The leaflets will protest the continued inaction by Kalikow and the MTA Board on the contract that the MTA and TWU Local 100 agreed upon in December. That contract has been approved by TWU members, but Chairman Kalikow still refuses to allow the MTA Board to vote on it."

Is Roger bringing donuts and coffee?

-- Chuck Bennett

In case you are wondering why there have been few stories about the MTA board meeting yesterday its because there was no news to report. Just record on-time performance by Metro-North.

A “washout” said one reporter on the transit beat. Another said the meeting highlight was the gadflies who appear for the public comment section.

And MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow — as his new custom — was whisked by security into the elevator without bothering to entertain a single question. He did, I’m told, wave to frustrated transit reporters.

-- Chuck Bennett

An open letter sent today from Commercial Alert, a nonprofit opposed to run amuck “commercialism,” to MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow rails against plans for advertisements on subway tunnel walls.

“It might be one thing if the tunnel walls would be available to all of us, for civic causes as well as corporate ones. But that won’t be the case. Corporations would get to buy the space for their own purposes. Our role would be to submit and keep quiet. ...

“The subways do need revenue, so as former New Yorkers, we have a suggestion. Why doesn’t the MTA sell ad space on the suits of the MTA board members, from chairman on down? That way, when they move about town, they’ll be raising money for the trains -- in a way that leaves the riders alone.”

Not a bad idea. Seeing that Kalikow already has a collection of Ferraris and other racecars, its not hard to imagine him in full Nascar driver-style jump suit -- complete with colorful ads.

-- Chuck Bennett

Transport Workers Union Local 100 is gearing up for Lobby Day in Albany tomorrow.

Perhaps, they will urge union-friendly pols to endorse a bill by state Sen. Nicholas Spano (R-Westchester) and Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat (D-Manhattan) that will amend the Taylor Law and punish state agencies for bargaining in bad faith. The agency would have to pay 50% of any Taylor Law fines a union was hit with for striking, according to the NY Post.

Also, see the Posts editorial blasting — obviously — the law. 

Meanwhile, the Post also reports the transit union  keeps going after so-called “scabs” during the strike. But, the guys hit with union penalties claim they picketed with everyone else.

And Fred Dicker reports that MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow could endorse Hillary Clinton for re-election. I don’t know how many votes he commands — he’s not too popular with his transit workers now — but his money couldn’t hurt.

The Daily News has an interesting piece on new subway ads on the way. Apparently advertising execs want to paint the tunnels with images that will appear like a “silent movie” through the window as the train barrels through.

As long as there is no annoying sound to go along with it, why not?

The article also said it has been tried on the PATH trains. Anyone ever see it?

-- Chuck Bennett

During his weekly radio show on WABC last Friday, Mayor Bloomberg  left the 2007 fare hike option on the  table.

When asked about the state Comptroller Alan Hevesi’s report and conclusion that the 5% fare hike be postponed, Bloomberg said:

“Well if it turns out that their tax revenues are better than what they thought and their fare revenues are better than what they thought there’s no reason to raise the fare, and I said last time, we would withhold our four votes until a study was really done. I don’t know whether history ... the future will show Alan to be right or not, but I will say we do want to charge enough so that we can run this system safely and efficiently and well and pay our employees a fair wage.”

Classic pol speak -- sounding like he oppses a fare hike but carefully leaving both options on the table.

But think back to the 2004 fare increase vote. The mayor’s four board members all voted no -- but it was purely symbolic because MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow already knew he had enough votes to raise the fare without them.

Also, earlier in the show a caller who identified himself as an MTA worker and union member urged Bloomberg to run for president.

“My mother is pleased when people joke about that,” he quipped.

He then praised the MTA workers, “You guys really do a great job and hopefully you and the MTA, the union and the MTA, will work out their contract disputes.”

At this point, it doesn’t seem to come as any surprise that Bloomberg is hands-off on the transit workers contract.

-- Chuck Bennett

Ferrari Australia and New Zealand sent out of this press release touting MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow’s new Ferrari.  Apparently his dark-blue Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a custom built four-seater (extra room for friends, family and co-workers during a transit strike) with 540-horsepower V-12.

“’The car should be totally re-bodied, but the styling changes should be so slight and fine to allow to no more than 10 percent of Ferrari experts to catch them at a first glance,’ said Mr Kalikow in his instructions to Pininfarina.”

I wonder if a free E-ZPass was built in as well.

The Ferrari press release also noted, “Mr. Kalikow has personally followed the development and has actively contributed to the selection of the car features and to the choice of colours and materials.”

Sounds pretty time consuming. Could that be why there’s been no movement with the transit union contract?

A Daily News article last week said the coupe without modifications runs $260,000.

-- Chuck Bennett

As expected, Roger Toussaint’s first jail house interview went to the Daily News.

What did we learn? He misses his family and sits in a sits in a cell “his spirit unbowed and his fiery resolve unshaken.” The 4 a.m. wake-up calls do sound kind of rough, though.

“The MTA should not underestimate how volatile they can make this situation become.”  Toussaint says. How should we interpret that?

Also there is a detail that in 1999 a union representing Staten Island bus workers (ATU 726?) revoted their contract after a tie and it was accepted by the MTA.

MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow also elaborated on the MTA’s position. He said he is willing to “conduct parallel negotiations” as binding arbitration moves forward. He also says “labor relations with the rank and file are good. It is only the leadership we have problems with.”

What about the 15,000 disciplinary actions a year?

Kalikow also touts the MTA’s 4% attrition rate, but I guess few workers leave (and wait an average 3 years to get hired) because of the great pension and health benefits -- the ones he is trying to change.

The News edit board also tells Toussaint to go back to the table. The Time already told him to accept the revoted contrat.

-- Chuck Bennett

Transit and Metro-North union leaders aren’t praising Tony Bottalico, the MTA board member who prompted Kalikow’s outburst today.

Bottalico, who represents the only Metro-North workers union with a contract, asked Kalikow to restore a "reservoir of trust" and accept the contract that was initially rejected then approved by the TWU.

But the other nine unions working for Metro-North Railroad don’t look kindly at Bottalico and his Association of Commuter Rail Employees Local 77.

“They are for all intents and purposes part of management,” said Chris Silvera, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 808, which represents 550 Metro-North track workers. “When it was time to stand up years ago, they stood down.” 

The nine other Metro-North unions have been withot a contract for four years. Only ACRE Local 77, which broke from the United Transportation Union in 2000, has a contract. Silvera was careful to only impugn the union’s “scab” leaders not the workers.

Another Metro-North union leader said, Local 77 “has all the signs of an in-house company union” but nontheless said “I thought what Tony said today was pretty good, trust is very important in labor relations.”

Bottalico did not return a call for comment.

-- Chuck Bennett

No real news out of today’s MTA board meeting.

The board approved $1.2 million to buy two Canadian “snowthrowers” to clear the subway tracks in 2007. Presumably a company based in Quebec knows something about clearing snow.

Each thrower can clear 2,000 tons an hour -- shooting it 100 ft in the air at an 180-degree arc. Hopefully this will mean fewer snow-related delays next winter.

The board also signed a resolution promising they are committed to big expansion projects like Second Avenue subway and East Side Access in order to secure billions in funds from the Federal Transit Administration.

Finally, the MTA board formally adopted a code of ethics that was already in place for all other MTA employees. Now the board is covered. Kickbacks are obviously banned and no gifts over $75 are allowed. MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow called the rules “common sense.”

Kalikow had nothing at all to say about the transit union contract mess.  “I’m not going to comment on labor issues. The law is the law and we are going to follow the law,” he said referring to the ongoing arbitration process. Reporters waited an hour to hear his no comment.

On Monday, transit union official Ed Watt had nothing to say about the contact either -- other than the revote will happen sometime in April and the binding arbitration process is moving forward.

-- Chuck Bennett

The Straphangers Campaign just came out in favor of contract re-vote.

"Arbitration - in which the rank and file will have no vote - is a recipe for potential unrest for years to come.  This can't possibly be the legacy that Chairman Kalikow wants to leave," the group said in a statement asking the MTA to honor the re-voted contract including the pension refund side agreement.

-- Chuck Bennett

The whole re-vote idea on that transit contract doesn’t seem that hot.

The few union chairman, shop stewards, and the like I spoke today described it as unrealistic. The union isn’t commenting. MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow isn’t commenting, other than, “That’s their business not mine. They run their own union.”

And, Barry Feinstein, chairman of the New York City Transit Committee, who spent an unusual 15 minutes entertaining reporters questions said:

“The rejected offer is a rejected offer. In order there to be an appropriate ability to accept the offer we would have to make it again. I don’t think that question has come under consideration by the MTA, so it would seem to be academic today because there is no indication from the union that they have an interest in re-voting, or what the MTA posture would be if they did decide to re-vote. ...

... I thought they should re-vote it immediately upon the rejection by seven votes and 10,000 people not having voted. I thought that’s what should have been done then. ...

... It would seem to me as a former labor leader that if I didn’t want to re-vote a contract than it wouldn’t matter what petitions I got, that’s not the way they plan to do their business.  At this point their decision is they want to go back to bargaining table.”

-- Chuck Bennett