State Senator Jack Martins took his concerns about cuts to Long Island Buses to MTA Chairman Jay Walder in a face-to-face meeting at the State Capitol. Martins joined with other Long Island lawmakers in the discussion. The meeting, according to Senator Martins, was “direct, no nonsense and expressed our great displeasure with the MTA cuts which are unacceptable to the riders of Long Island Bus or us.”
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Letter from Sandy Figueroa to MTA
Dated Wed, Mar 23, 2011
Dear Sir or Madam,
Well, now I have heard it all. Let's see if I understand this. You want to cut all the Long Island bus service in Elmont and then cut most of the Long Island buses in general and the reason for the cuts, of course, is low ridership or more specifically no money.
Assuming that I am correct in my statements, let's see where this leads. First, how are people who don't have cars, and many people in Elmont in particular do not have cars, supposed to go to work or go to school?
Which one of you brilliant planners are going to pay for people without cars and the bus is the only means of transportation supposed to build the economy of Long Island without bus service or extremely limited bus service?
Aren't we also encouraged to use public transportation for the good of the environment?
So, you are telling the elderly, young people, and those who can't afford cars and those who choose to use public transportation for a better environment to pollute the air with more cars?
What else is going to be taken away from the people of Long Island? We can't afford to buy or keep our homes; we can't take public transportation; the public services for which we pay exorbitant taxes will no longer be provided because our tax dollar is not going far enough. We use Metro cards and we were told that the use of Metro cards will stabilize fares. Well no Long Island buses, then no Metro cards. Will someone please tell me where is the logic in taking away our buses? In Elmont, we have no Long Island Railroad stop. We have to use the F train in Jamaica or the E train in Jamaica Center. How are we supposed to get to Jamaica without a bus? You want us to walk while you people drive cars. Is this your idea of justice or support of the environment?
Knocking out the Elmont buses is an outrage and so is diminishing or eliminating other Long Island bus service is also an outrage. What do you propose to do for us who choose and/or cannot use a car? Please explain!!!! In the meantime, get your head out of the clouds and give us back our buses!!!!
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Martins noted that under the State Senate budget resolution passed this past week, State Senate funding for Long Island Bus actually increased by $300,000. “We increased the budget for a simple reason. We realize that Long Island Bus is a lifeline to many working families and college students going to work and school each and every day” said Senator Martins adding, “imagine how stunned we were when we found out that while we were fighting to keep the buses rolling, the MTA was cutting the service. It’s not right.”
In Franklin Square, Elmont, Floral Park, Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose Village and South Floral Park, the ridership for Long Island Bus is one of the highest in all of Nassau County. “During challenging economic times, you don’t cut the only means for people to get to work, go to the doctor or go to school. That is what the MTA did. It’s wrong,” said Senator Martins.
During the meeting with MTA Chairman Walder, Martins asked him how he was able to justify a 56% cut in service to areas of Nassau County. “In a $14 billion dollar MTA budget, I find it ironic that the savings to the MTA is around $15 million dollars. The impact to the local economy, as well as Nassau County, is much bigger than that. It does not make sense. On one hand, we encourage people to use mass transit. Then, the first thing the MTA does is cut a service we know is a critical economic component to communities like Franklin Square, Elmont, Floral Park, Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose Village and South Floral Park.”
During a community stop, Senator Martins asked bus riders about their specific use of the service. Many users in Franklin Square, Floral Park and Elmont used Long Island Bus to get to college. Specifically, students mentioned Nassau Community College, Adelphi and Hofstra University repeatedly. In addition, many health care workers going to hospitals and home visits utilize the bus. “The facts are crystal clear to me. Long Island Bus is an economic development engine for our communities. It’s not just about access, it’s about enabling and empowering people to get their education or go to their job. That’s why this fight is so important to residents in our communities,” Martins added.
Martins noted that the Elmont, Franklin Square and Floral Park communities are a prime collection point for bus riders. “When you look at Franklin Avenue, Elmont Road, Dutch Broadway, Hempstead Turnpike, Jericho Turnpike, Meacham Avenue and Linden Boulevard it’s easy to see how important Long Island Bus access is to the greater community. These bus stops are used round the clock. Residents work split shifts, leave early, come home late and the bus is their sole means of transportation. In many cases, the buses take workers to the subway and LIRR. Therefore, when you look at this issue closely, it’s not as simple as the MTA makes it out to be. That’s why we need to stand up and fight these cuts together,” said Senator Martins.
Senator Martins has asked the MTA to justify the cuts and show how the cut to the service is justified with increased state support. “You can’t tell me that the MTA can’t find the funding or cut even more from its administrative budget. This service is not a luxury to people. The bus is a lifeline for people. I have stopped and talked with community members on Jericho Turnpike, Hempstead Turnpike and have spoken to bus riders who count on this service. It is their only means of transportation. I will not only continue to demand that the service continues, I will work closely with Senate Transportation Chairman Senator Chuck Fuschillo and the entire Nassau delegation to keep Long Island Bus running and we will leave no stone unturned,” said Martins.
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