Res 1518-2017

By Council Members Dromm, Rosenthal and Gentile 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 and bus ridership declining; and Whereas, According to a recent NY1/Baruch College poll, more New Yorkers blame the Mayor for problems with the subway system than blame the Governor; and Whereas, In order to improve accountability for the quality of bus and subway service and make management of the system more responsive to city residents, the City government should regain direct control of the subways and buses; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls 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. LS# 10839 5/25/2017 JM