Last night, hundreds people crowded a ballroom at the Hilton for the MTA's first public hearing on the proposed fare hikes and service cuts. Leona Adams, an 86-year-old, spoke out against raising Access-a-Ride fares 250% (or higher): "The medical field has extended our lives to whatever age we are...yet if we are not able to continue our active lives that Access-A-Ride allows, then we will become burdens to our family, the city, the state and the nation."

The crowd was feisty: Not only did over 200 sign up to give the MTA a piece of their mind, they cheered when someone spoke up for their cause—the M2 bus! the M8! Access-a-Ride!—and booed the MTA board. The chance to face the MTA board, amid talk of a $100+ monthly Metrocard and losing bus service (see full proposed hikes and changes here), forced the MTA to open up another ballroom for the overflow crowd. Here's a look at the line of people waiting to enter the ballroom around 6:10 p.m.—after the meeting was supposed to start:

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer—who in his remarks to the MTA board said, "The MTA has proposed a doomsday scenario of fare increases and service cuts that would hurt every New Yorker"—told the Village Voice, "There are more people outside [the ballroom] than inside. [The MTA] purposefully didn't want the press to see how many people across the city are inside. It's outrageous." It's estimated that 800 people attended. With each speaker allotted 3 minutes to speak (some were no shows, but many went over their time), MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan told us, "The last speaker concluded his remarks at 1:26 a.m."

MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger told the crowd he would love to keep everything the fare and the service the way it is (which did arouse some boos from those who think service is already shoddy). As for why the MTA faces a $1.2 billion budget deficit, MTA Executive Director and CEO Elliot Sander, who understood the crowd's anger, blamed previous (read: before my time) borrowing for capital projects.

Other city officials also spoke, criticizing how the service cuts and fare hikes would hurt the residents; City Comptroller Bill Thompson suggested, instead of East River crossing tolls, to implement a weight-based vehicle surcharge. State legislators who spoke—such as State Senator Bill Perkins and Daniel Squadron and Assembly members Micah Kellner and Linda Rosenthal—criticized the MTA's plan and promised, in the Legislature, to help the MTA get support. Even transit advocates acknowledged that much of the decision is up to the state. The Straphangers Campaign's Gene Russianoff said, "Our fate is in the hands of Governor David Paterson. His leadership will either win us the support to stop the service cuts, blunt the proposed fare hikes and keep rebuilding the system. Or he will fail and the riders will suffer."

Members of the public offered suggestions like the MTA restrict food and drink (then it wouldn't have to pay for additional cleaning) and simply holding more meetings so the community can participate. Others begged the MTA not to rob them of their bus lines/lifelines and questioned their motives in using scare tactics. The next meeting is next Tuesday in Queens (here's the full schedule). And below, another video of the crowd and Russianoff's full remarks.

Remarks from Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign:

  Two clear realities are staring riders in the face.

First, the MTA is broke.  The Straphangers Campaign sued the MTA in 2003 because we thought it wasn't telling the truth about its finances.  That's not the case now. As a result, you have proposed giant fare hikes and massive service cuts.  And, at the same time, you have next to nothing to continue rebuilding the system over the next five years.  To the rider, these financial woes are all linked.  The fare is how much you pay, service is what you get for your MetroCard, and the rebuilding program determines how often subway cars break down or whether your subway station looks like a haunted house.

Second, our fate is in the hands of Governor David Paterson.  His leadership will either win us the support to stop the service cuts, blunt the proposed fare hikes and keep rebuilding the system.  Or he will fail and the riders will suffer.

I know the Governor supports the smart financing plan proposed by former MTA Chair Richard Ravitch.  But support is not enough.  The governor has to use his clout to win safe, decent and affordable transit for the millions of constituents who use the subways, buses and commuter lines.   Here’s what will happen if Governor Paterson fails:

• The base subway and bus fare could go as high as $3. 
• The 30-day unlimited-ride MetroCard could go up from $81 to $103.
• Paratransit for the disabled and elderly could go up a staggering 250%, from the current $2 a trip to $5- a $10 round trip for the most vulnerable among us.
• Seismic service cuts could swamp the system, such as ending or shortening five subway lines; running fewer trains on many lines; and killing or reducing dozens of bus routes.  The result will be more crowding and longer waits throughout the system.
• A 25-year history of successful five-year capital programs to rebuild the transit would unwind, hurting the millions of riders who use the subways, buses and commuter rail.

Governor Paterson, the ball is in your court.