MTA

Liz Benjamin at Daily Politics and Jimmy Vielkind at Politicker have some updates on the MTA funding discussions in Albany.

Here's a final plug for tonight's Jeff Mapes event, also featuring Aaron Naparstek, Clarence Eckerson and Transportation Alternatives, with audience Q&A and book signing. Housing Works Bookstore Cafe at 7:00.

There's MTA rescue news today from the State Senate, and none of it good. 

Communities United for Transportation Equity (COMMUTE) will hold a rally today at the office of Ruben Diaz, Sr., one of a handful of state senators whose opposition to bridge tolls threatens to sink the MTA rescue plan. Says COMMUTE:

Congressman Anthony Weiner released his own MTA rescue plan today. As if that in itself weren't surprising enough, the outspoken toll opponent has modified his position, sort of. City Room reports:

In response to the possible sinking of the MTA rescue plan by three recalcitrant state senators, the Campaign for New York's Future has set up an action alert enabling members of the public to contact their representatives directly via e-mail. The message, which may be tailored before sending, reads in part:

Like New York and dozens of other American cities, Minneapolis is facing the prospect of higher transit fares and less service amid the economic downturn. To impress upon state lawmakers that their constituents depend on transit to meet basic needs, the St. Stephen's Human Rights Campaign compiled this video of testimonials from bus riders (hat tip to Twin Cities Streets for People; see all the testimonials here). They asked a simple question: What do you use the bus for?

The three city reps who nearly derailed the Democratic takeover of the State Senate have issued a joint statement declaring -- transit riders be damned -- they're not going to support bridge tolls. Liz Benjamin at the Daily Politics has the story: