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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
 
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Your a lowlife for thinking in that manner.Do your research, The Gov is not responsible for running NJT or for that reason any other mass transit system. Like any other bizz, if you spend more than what you take in, than you deserve to go under! Enough with the entitlement programs for mass transit, maybe if they had management that actually knew how to manage they wouldn't have such a shortfall of funds to run! Now go back to sleep,your annoying!
Posted on: 2010/3/6 21:31
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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The HBLR alone has helped to spur 1.4 billion in real estate investment in Jersey City according to projections. One only needs to look around. Have you ever seen the number of people go up the elevator in the Heights? That new demand is investment which translates into money for the city and the state.
That said, we COULD play this game all day between cars and transport. I think we have different perspectives in valid points. I don't think we can grow by generating more car trips; that's what a fare increase will do. While perhaps your perspective is different. I think we ought to agree that higher fairs lead to more cars on the road. That's sort of a given. What portion of the 600 thousand commuters to Manhattan will switch is yet to be seen (although any shift will cause further delays at the tunnels). We agree that we shouldn't throw more money at NJT; however, I do think its a serious mistake to throw off the established budget of any organization-its bad business (what's the incentive in the future for NJT to come up with an accurate budget?) We agree that NJT employees are paid a lot of money. However, as Governor, the ultimate head of NJT (a qusi subsidary of NJDOT), Christie ought to take the unions to court and see if he can renegotiate their contracts. If he give NJT the tools to succeed, perhaps the agency can. However, by cutting their budget and leaving them with established union contracts and the expensive prospect of litigation, the only people the governor affects are the users of the system, and ultimately the economy of the state.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 19:52
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
 
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2006/11/13 18:42 Last Login : 2022/2/28 7:31 From 280 Grove Street
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Gov. Christie needs a good kick in the ass and reality check.....WTF, raise bus fares and reduce services PLUS take $50 away from those unemployed who can't afford to run a vehicle.....What an idiot! Talk about reducing options and forcing some to steal and rob to make ends meet!
Posted on: 2010/3/6 19:34
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My humor is for the silent blue collar majority - If my posts offend, slander or you deem inappropriate and seek deletion, contact the webmaster for jurisdiction.
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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We the people paid for these highways with tax money. "We the people pay for NJ Transit to operate with our money, so raising fares is the only way to pin the cost on users." It's easy to make the argument both ways especially since NJ Transit is far more heavily subsidized than cars. According to the state budget, cars generate 2+billion in revenue for NJ which pays for the 1+ billion in road maintenance/building fees (MVC Fees, Insurance surcharges, Gas tax, Tolls). This is according to the NJ balance sheet, maybe I'm reading it wrong and you have different figures... Nevertheless, I still agree with you that we need a higher gas tax, but for other reasons - it forces people to buy more efficient cars, lowers our dependence on a largely imported & finite product, and it encourages the research into alternative transport, including a more efficient public transit system. However, if NJ Transit doesn't get its act together and balance its costs figuring out it's employment contracts for the people in the top 25%, throwing more money at the problem just delays the inevitable issues. Money, which frankly right now doesn't exist.. I love a free lunch as much as the next guy, but that's just not reality.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 19:06
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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For the love of God, no more tolls! Tolls are a highly inefficient way of collecting fees, and you can do the same exact thing via the gas tax without needing to spend billions in toll booths, ezpasses, and hundreds of new employees. If you want to increase costs on cars, raise the gas tax I'm for that 100%! (By the way, very generous of you to offer other people's money to solve the problem) Other people's money. See that's where you are wrong. We the people paid for these highways with tax money. The state doesn't not have dedicated pools. All income and sales tax goes into one big pot from which we finance all our needs. Highways have received subsidy from that tax. The gas tax isn't and has never been enough (i think that's obvious since it hasn't been increased in years despite construction cost increases). You may disagree about tolls, but they are the only way to pin cost on users. Transportation is a package. It includes roads, rails, buses, etc. If we can't provide the entire package affordable for every mode for a region this densely populated, then we will have a transportation nightmare. Ex. Increase in ticket price equals more traffic on the roads, longer cues at the Holland etc. IMHO, I don't think anyone would blink about a penny in the gas tax for the benefit it could provide.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 18:23
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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That seems like the biggest problem of them all - revenues are flat yet labor contracts require ever growing salaries, but this is a problem across the entire state with the economy in poor shape. Some conductors (correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the guy who checks your tickets!) made 120k including overtime last year: http://php.app.com/njtransit07/search.php Surprisingly, the NJT payroll is not as bad as other associations & municipalities though.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 17:52
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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For the love of God, no more tolls! Tolls are a highly inefficient way of collecting fees, and you can do the same exact thing via the gas tax without needing to spend billions in toll booths, ezpasses, and hundreds of new employees. If you want to increase costs on cars, raise the gas tax I'm for that 100%! (By the way, very generous of you to offer other people's money to solve the problem) To say Christie solely responsible for NJ transit cuts because he withheld 30 million from an association that has a projected deficit 10 times that size next year is highly disingenuous. There is plenty of blame to go around, including the generous employee salaries and benefits for the top brass. Maybe we can cut some school administrators bureaucrats and funnel that money to NJ Transit instead? http://php.app.com/appendixc/results. ... der=DESC&tfm_orderby=base Not sure how you propose fixing an 11 billion dollar deficit next year without cutting back across all agencies, unless you think we should increase taxes $2000 for every working person to make it up.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 17:44
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Not too shy to talk
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Stani - you make an excellent point. I did a google on the financial statements of NJ transit. Here are some highlights of their 2009 annual report.
In '09 they took in $750 mil in rev from passenger fares, $820 mil in total rev. Their top 2 operating expense items labor - $600 mil fringe benefits - $450 mil So before you get into any other operating costs such as utilities, materials, fuel, insurance, service they are at an ($200) mil operating loss. Who runs a business like this? How is it a government entity is allowed to operate like this? No private entity operates where 120% of the revenue goes to payroll. Also, revenue vs 2008 was flat, yet labor and fringe benefits grew by 8.4% from 2008. My company told me last year no raises when things were bad. How does NJ Transit offer up 8% bumps in compensation when their revenue remains flat? That is $82 mil in savings they could of had in 2009. Total operating losses with depreciation is ($1.5) BILLION! The state subsidy and other rev from federal and local governments brings the loss to about ($620) mil before they make a capital contribution to close the gap. I have found other operating statements dating back to 2006 and they show similar numbers. NJ transit has $5.3 bil in assets. NJ transit should learn to how properly manage themselves. I don\'t blame Christie for making a statement like this. We shouldn\'t support this type of reckless behavior. And in my opinion this 25% increase is a lazy way to attempt at a solution. By the way, this won\'t work, because next year they would need to up fares by 10% again ala the MTA. If my company was in a similar situation they wouldn\'t be able to just charge more to the customer and say that will fix the business. An internal review would take place and we would learn how to run the business better. NJ Transit should do the same thing.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 17:34
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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stani: Quote:
To have an intelligent discussion about these issues, you have ask the question: why does all of this cost so much? It's not just a matter of saying let's spend more on this or that to maintain a certain service level. The big cost of this is payroll and increasingly benefits and Christie is constrained by labor contracts as to what can be done. The unions want the only changes to be related to service cuts to get the un-informed public on their side. As compared to the private sector, work practices, salaries and benefits are sacrosanct. So the faustian bargain set up by the unions is: either more spending (and higher taxes) or service cuts. Listen, stani, you seem like a reasonable guy. You're questions are valid, and I think all of us deserve an answer to why service costs so much. I think we can agree that finding those answers, renegotiating contracts, etc, take time. I honestly don't think they can be accomplished by driving NJ Transit into a capital panic. Thought, negotiation takes time, and the organization is out of time to negotiate (they have to give notice of fare increase, service change, etc). The only thing it has time to do is set astronomical fares. That said, I think we can agree that there are serious cuts that can be made to NJ Transit, but lets not demonize one institution over another. As I pointed out, we are currently spending 8+ billion dollars JUST on 95 to extend it from exit 8 to exit 6 (moving the bottle neck further south). Let's try to cut costs there too. Transit's expensive, but roads are cash cows.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 16:43
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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To have an intelligent discussion about these issues, you have ask the question: why does all of this cost so much? It's not just a matter of saying let's spend more on this or that to maintain a certain service level. The big cost of this is payroll and increasingly benefits and Christie is constrained by labor contracts as to what can be done. The unions want the only changes to be related to service cuts to get the un-informed public on their side. As compared to the private sector, work practices, salaries and benefits are sacrosanct. So the faustian bargain set up by the unions is: either more spending (and higher taxes) or service cuts.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 16:27
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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P.S. I feel awful for everyone in the Heights over this light-rail service cut.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 16:18
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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An NJ Transit fare increase is simply as commuter tax hike. The State took over the agency in 1980 which makes it a state entity.
What I love is how we are spending 8+ billion to stretch I-95 20 miles "the bottleneck" which affects 10,000 people per day, but we can't find 100 million to positively impact 50,000 people a day on transit. As a non-driver, this a region specific tax on cities. I say we put a tax on all highways of convince ie all the spurs. We may need 80, but perhaps we should toll I-280 and I-287. That way the wealthy can pay the astronomical maintenance fees for these highways to their manicured estates.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 16:15
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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I just do not get it. Politics are politics. No new taxes. Ok. No increase on transit. OK. Run every state into ruin and I am suppose to believe this. I may be a Democrat but I am not stupid. You have to pay into madness. To get elected just say no taxes and all parties are happy. That is ALL parties. Independent etc.
As NJ falls and or fell into complete disrepair, what makes one assume the new GOP run government would not increase taxes and correct all. I work in NYC and live here in JC and I will never ever ever see lower anything.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 3:39
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Just can't stay away
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Mass transit is very important for the future of NJ, esp. the revival of Newark and Jersey City. This fare hike is wrong.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 3:00
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Quite a regular
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As if cars are not subsidized. You know how much we spend on roads? On wars to secure all the oil to fuel those cars?
How about the fact that the costs of polluting from your tailpipe is not born by the driver, but by all the rest of us who have to breathe the air. NJ transit riders should be subsidized because, instead of a negative externality like air pollution, they produce positive externalities like reducing air pollution and traffic. People who use mass transit are doing a public good. Drivers, albeit unintentionally, are doing a public harm. I don't dispute cuts have to made, or taxes need to be raised. First, Christie promised he would not raise taxes, but isn't this just a tax on the poor and middle class who use mass transit. These are republican "tax cuts." They shift the burden to the poor and middle class. Second, a gas tax. Cars get away with murder. They are by far the most subsidized form of transportation and NJ has the lowest gas tax in the country. Before you cut NJ transit you should be raising the gas tax or how about keeping the millionaire's tax.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 2:43
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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If Christie has balls, I'm sure he hasn't seen them since Jimmy Carter was in the White House. And if he did have a pair, he would consider funding transportation by raising the gas tax instead of putting the screws to mass transit.
Posted on: 2010/3/6 1:46
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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As soon as cars pay their own way I'll agree. Until then transit is getting the shaft.
Posted on: 2010/3/5 23:46
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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Yup. I dont understand people. How do you want spending to stop yet want nothing cut. If this is how everyone feels, we're not gonna get anywhere with the city counsil either.
Posted on: 2010/3/5 22:55
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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This isn't the Govenor's fault, nor should it be on his shoulders to save NJT!
Its about time, theres someone in Office who has the B#$lls to stop mass transit entitlement programs. Next agenda, consolidation of municipal services....
Posted on: 2010/3/5 22:26
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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Posted on: 2010/3/5 21:52
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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NBC.com
"Under the proposal, a one-zone local bus trip or one-way ticket on Newark or River Line light rail lines would increase from $1.35 to $1.70 per ride, " ... "Hudson-Bergen Light Rail tickets would increase from $1.90 to $2.40 per trip."
Posted on: 2010/3/5 21:47
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Re: Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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Light Rail fares going from $1.90 to $2.40. Monthly passes from $58 to $73.
The low gas tax in NJ shows that automobile drivers are about as powerful a group as the public service unions in this state.
Posted on: 2010/3/5 21:44
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Gov. Christie Forcing NJTransit Service Cuts, Fare Hikes
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Home away from home
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NY Times
"Weinstein said intervals between late-night trains on the Hudson-Bergen line would extend from 20 to 30 minutes on weekdays, and redundant weekend service on that line from Tonnelle Avenue to the Hoboken branch would be eliminated."
Posted on: 2010/3/5 21:40
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