Here I explain my reasons why I will not be attending tomorrows Verrazano Bridge 50th Anniversary event: “I have immense respect for MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast and many of the folks who work for him. I think they are genuine public servants. I also firmly believe that Tom and his team inherited a system that for a long while clearly has been unsustainable in its current form; a point that seemed to be readily acknowledged by various candidates running for Mayor in 2013. As toll payers and New Yorkers, we can only hope that those in position to make the necessary and inevitable changes do so sooner rather than later. If not, this ridiculous cycle will continue, and the resulting harm will grow exponentially. “For now, though, it appears that the MTA is playing the only cards it has. “Since first learning of the Verrazano Bridge 50th anniversary event I have been conflicted about participating in the celebration. I have tried to balance my awe at the engineering marvel and its historical significance, with the tangible angst brought on by the predatory tolling that has been so much a part of this structure’s history. “I can’t help but personalize it. I can’t help thinking about a guy who for years worked two jobs – sometimes 6 days a week – stealing time from his wife and children simply to make ends meet – and who had to endure being shaken down each and every time he crossed that bridge. “That guy was my father. And in truth he suffered with tens of thousands of fathers and mothers who traversed that bridge alongside him. “So when it was announced during this anniversary week that another toll increase was looming, the juxtaposition of events was enough to snatch utter frustration from the jaws of fleeting pride. I just don’t think I can stand there and celebrate any aspect of this institution and keep a straight face. “I, therefore, have decided to not attend the 50th Anniversary celebration event tomorrow. “I have no illusions that my absence or that of my Staten Island colleagues in elected office will cause the MTA to have an epiphany and change its plans. They won’t because they can’t, and they can’t because the system is broken. There is a hole in the bottom of their bucket that has never been fixed, and in order to run this mass transit system they need that bucket to be constantly re-filled, and for now that is accomplished by collecting ever-increasing fares and tolls.”
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 20:14:30 +0000
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