Res. No. 159
Title
Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation which would return control of the subway and bus system to the City of New York.
Body
By Council Members Dromm and Brannan
Whereas, Most of the subway system that exists today in New York City was built and originally operated by three separate entities: two private companies, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation, and the City via its Independent Subway System; and
Whereas, The entire system came under direct City control in 1940, under the auspices of the Board of Transportation; and
Whereas, In 1953, the Board of Transportation was replaced by the New York City Transit Authority, which was comprised of members appointed by both the Governor and the Mayor; and
Whereas, In 1968, the State transferred control of both the New York City Transit Authority and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA); and
Whereas, The MTA is governed by a 17-member board, with all members of the board appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate; and
Whereas, Of the 17 board members, four are recommended by the Mayor of New York City, one is recommended by each of the county executives of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, and Putnam counties (with the members representing the latter four counties casting one collective vote), and the remaining six, including the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, are chosen by the Governor; and
Whereas, As a recent New York Times report put it, historically, the MTA's governance structure has allowed State elected officials "both to wield enormous influence over the region's transportation system, and to avoid blame and responsibility when things go wrong"; and
Whereas, By many accounts, both the subway and bus systems are facing significant challenges, with subway delays increasing a...
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