Democratic state Senate leaders have no feasible plan to deal with the MTA’s gaping $1.2 billion shortfall, and “don’t want to make the tough decisions” to fix the problem, fellow Democrat Gov. Paterson charged yesterday.
“This is just a classic example of Albany thinking it can make up its own rules,” Paterson told John Gambling on WOR radio. “We were elected to make these tough decisions, to have commuters perhaps grousing and a little agitated.”
Paterson and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) have united behind a proposal by former MTA chief Richard Ravitch that will toll East River bridges and ease what would otherwise be crushing fare hikes.
“This is a tough plan, but it’s a plan that shared the sacrifice and everybody supported,” the governor said.
Mayor Bloomberg yesterday urged straphangers to call their senators and demand action.
“If they want to stop big fare increases . . . they should call their state senators and say, ‘You gotta do something about this,’ ” Bloomberg said.