Even when Eliot Spitzer wins, he still loses -- or rather, we lose.
Sure, he saved the $2.00 fare -- for now. But who cares? Only one out of every seven riders actually pays that -- and most of them are tourists (the rest are the poor, and I'll get to that problem below). Almost all of the rest of us either buy "multitrip" card (those "six-for-five" $10 cards) or buy weekly or monthly cards. And guess what? Those fares are going up!
When the monthly card was introduced, it was $63; now it's going to $81 -- a 28% increase while the "base rate" hasn't risen at all.
What's worse, many people have practically begged the MTA to hold off on fare increases until the next budget is passed, figuring they could put the heat on to get more state funding. Now that the MTA is going ahead, there's little chance of accomplishing that goal.
In short, Governor Spitzer played a quick song for the cameras, but failed to consider how most NY'ers are truly affected. Perhaps he suffers from "rich man's syndrome," or perhaps he was too desperate for anything he could call a "victory." I don't know, and I don't care -- I just wish someone would teach this guy how to get the right things done.
About the poor? There are several alternatives; I've just though of one off the top of my head. It's a special Metrocard for eligible recipients that they can put $2.00 on at a time, but that also gives them the same, or larger, bonuses that the "multitrip" card buyers get. We already provide half-price cards for senior citizens; this is just an extension of that program.
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