Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of Congressman Nadler's amendment for increased transit funding.

Just today in my hometown paper, the Syracuse Post-Standard, it was reported that the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority, also known as Centro, is facing a $5 million shortfall. To close their deficit, they are considering raising fares, cutting service and eliminating routes. This cannot be an option, not now when the economy is facing a recession.

So I ask Members to vote in favor of this amendment. It will help ensure citizens in my district, such as Ann Parquette, who is mentioned in the article, can get to their jobs.

I include my full statement in strong support of this amendment and the related article from the Syracuse Post-Standard for the Record.

I rise today in strong support of Congressman Nadler's amendment for increased Transit Funding in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Just today, in my hometown paper the Syracuse Post Standard, it was reported that Central New York Regional Transportation Authority, also known as Centro, is facing a $5 million shortfall. To close their deficit, they are considering raising fares, cutting service and eliminating routes.

This cannot be an option--not now when ridership is at an all time high and more working families are absolutely dependent on public transportation. Across the county, from the suburbs to the city of Syracuse, more people need Centro to get them to work and the grocery store. Centro rider Ann Parquette, who rides the bus to work, thinks she will have to quit her job and find a new one closer to home if they eliminate her route. Other riders who can currently afford the $1 fare are not sure if they can make ends meet if that is increased by the 25 or 50% Centro is considering.

When we're facing a recession, we cannot allow cuts that will hit our lowest income workers the hardest. I urge my fellow Members to join me in voting for the Nadler amendment for increased Transit Funding.

[From the Post-Standard, Jan. 28, 2009]

Centro Plans Fare Hike, Service Cuts

(By S.J. Velasquez)

Centro is proposing to raise bus fares and cut some

services in an effort to make up a projected $5 million

shortfall in the coming budget year, Centro officials said

Tuesday.

Centro wants to increase the Syracuse base fare from $1 to

at least $1.25 and possibly to $1.50, officials said. Almost

all other fares would also be increased under the proposal,

they said.

Frank Kobliski, executive director of Centro, said the

changes are needed to make up for a loss in state aid and

mortgage tax revenues and rising costs that create the

projected deficit.

``The economy is such that we simply cannot put operators

in seats and be able to come remotely close to keeping fares

at a dollar,'' he said. ``Some cuts are necessary and

inevitable.''

This would be the first fare increase in 14 years, he said.

Centro also is proposing to cut three routes and reduce

service on three others.

The biggest savings would come from eliminating its

Suburban East No. 723 route that takes riders from Minoa,

Manlius and DeWitt to ShoppingTown Mall where many catch

other buses. Centro officials said that would save $435,000.

"I don't know what I would do,'' said Ann Parquette, 51, of

Minoa, who rides that bus twice a day to get to and from her

job in the cafeteria at Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School.

``I'd probably quit my job and work at the school out in

Minoa,'' she said. 'That'd be my best bet.''

Parquette said she could get a ride to work from friends,

but would have no means of getting home.

Another person who could be stuck is Joseph Honor, 41, of

Syracuse, a cook at Red Robin restaurant in Fayetteville. For

the past three months since his car broke down, Honor has

relied on the bus line to get to and from work.

``People work out there and they need a bus,'' he said.

In downtown Syracuse, Centro rider Stephanie LaDue said the

increase in fares would be hard for her to afford.

``I pay $20 a week easily right now,'' LaDue said. ``That

will be almost $30 dollars for a . . . bus. This is going to

be a pain.''

LaDue, a single mother with a 5-month-old daughter, said

she uses the bus to get to and from computer classes and

support group meetings.

Centro, which has a $58 million budget this year, is losing

about $1.6 million in mortgage tax revenue and expects to

lose about $1.33 million in state aid, officials said. The

rest of the deficit--about $2.07 million--is caused by

increases in the cost of supplies and other operating costs.

Kobliski said a 25-cent fare increase would bring in an

additional $1 million, but that increasing the base fare by

50 cents wouldn't necessarily bring in another $1 million

because Centro would lose riders.

The final decision on whether to increase fares by a

quarter or 50 cents will depend on how much state aid and

federal economic stimulus money Centro gets, officials said.

Service reductions could save another $1 million, Kobliski

said.

Centro officials said they would tap reserve funds and

defer some capital expenditures to make up the shortfall.

In addition to the fare increases, Centro is proposing

closing the bus system an hour earlier on weekdays in

Syracuse and Onondaga County, which would mean no service

after 12:30 a.m. The weekend service already ends at 12:30

a.m.

Ridership is at an all-time high, so some may wonder why

Centro is facing a shortfall. Ridership pays about 21 percent

of the operational costs; the state pays 47 percent; the

remaining 32 percent comes from federal, local and other

sources.

Centro will hold public hearings in February and then will

present the proposals to the Centro board of directors. If

approved, the fare increase would go into effect May 4.

Centro plans to advertise the fare increase and service

reductions on its Web site www.centro.org, in buses and in

the public forums.