In October, Governor Cuomo pledged to allocate $8.3 billion in state support for the MTA capital program, which maintains and upgrades the region's transit system.
But when Cuomo released his executive budget a few months later, it contained no new money for the capital program. Instead, the state now says it will only deliver its funding until the MTA has exhausted all options and revenue from other sources. The Riders Alliance warns that without the funding that Cuomo promised, the MTA could be forced to delay essential maintenance and borrow more, causing fare hikes and the deterioration of service.
Naturally, there was only one thing to do. The Riders Alliance brought back Cardboard Cuomo for an apology tour to "interact" with riders and tell them he's sorry he didn't come through with a budget that supports transit.
