Res. No. 227
Title
Resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to establish a Metrocard discount fare program through which eligible non-profit organizations can receive and distribute discounted Metrocards to their clients.
Body
By Council Member Van Bramer
Whereas, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is North America's largest network for transportation that serves a population of 15.1 million people in a 5,000 square mile area including New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut; and
Whereas, MTA subways, buses, and railroads provide over 2.62 billion rides annually, according to the MTA 2013 Annual Report; and
Whereas, The MTA public transportation network allows New York City to maintain its status as a world hub of finance, commerce, culture, entertainment, and business; and
Whereas, This public mass transit system optimizes the New York City economy by way of opening up job opportunities for numerous people across a broad region; and
Whereas, According to the recent American Community Survey by the Unites States Census Bureau, the City's labor force consists of 4.11 million people; and
Whereas, The 2013 unemployment rate in the City is 8.9 percent compared to a national rate of 7.0 percent, according to the United States Department of Labor; and
Whereas, The Community Service Society conducted a survey of low-income New Yorkers in 2013, finding that 21.2 percent of the City's population are under the poverty level, which is statistically unchanged from 2011 at 20.9 percent; and
Whereas, According to the MTA, four out of every five rush-hour commuters travelling to New York City's central business districts commute by the public transit services; and
Whereas, According to MTA figures in 2012, the average weekday subway ridership was 5.4 million persons and the annual ridership was 1.7 billion people; and
Whereas, In 2012, the...
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