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April 27, 2010
At what point does the “subsidy” become “unscrupulous?”
NYC Restorations
Atlantic Yards yes, ferries no?
A recent article from the NY Daily News about their shutting down a shuttle from Rockaway Beach to Manhattan had this to say:
Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson explained to the packed room of riders at the Belle Harbor Yacht Club how the city was subsidizing nearly $20 per passenger trip on the ferry. Wolfson noted this was a far cry from the 56 cents per subway ride the city provides in subsidies for each straphanger.
“The clear metrics that were established to determine whether or not this would be a success have not been met,” Wolfson said.
So what are the clear metrics that were established? What makes this a success or a failure, according to the Mayor’s office? Why is the city’s subsidizing of the ferry a failure when the financial exceptions made for the creation of a baseball or football stadium is deemed a success?
...So let’s get back to the original question – at what point does the subsidy become silly? Why is the metric used for public transportation seemingly thrown into the bin when we look at stadium construction, or expensive condo units? Why does the MTA shut down umpteen bus lines and an entire subway line because of budget cuts, and how can we then afford to foot the bill for Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards development? How can the deputy mayor say on one hand that the subsidies for the Rockaway ferry are untenable, but on the other, that Yankee Stadium was a giant success and boy-oh-boy Atlantic Yards is going to be an even bigger one?
I think we’ve gone past silly into surreal.
Posted by eric at April 27, 2010 11:45 PM