Federal aid to NYC transit boosts entire U.S. economy, Schumer says
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he is working to convince skeptical colleagues about the importance of NYC transit funding to the national economy. Photo via Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office
By Rachel Vick
New Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he is working to boost federal funding to the MTA, but has a tough time convincing colleagues about the importance of New York City transit.
His pitch to others lawmakers boils down to one core concept: money talks.
New York City accounts for 10 percent of the United States’ Gross Domestic Product, meaning a viable transportation system here can boost economies across the country, Schumer said.
“We would not be the huge city we are, we would not attract people from all over the world without mass transit like we have,” Schumer said Monday during a forum hosted by transit group Riders Alliance. “The benefits go far beyond New York to our national economy and that’s why we need a national investment in health and wellbeing of New York’s mass transit.”
Senators who bristle at aid to New York City diminish the economy and productivity of their own states, too, the Brooklyn-born lawmaker said.
“If we don't do well, the rest of the country doesn't do well and without mass transit we can’t do well. So even if you’re a senator from Wyoming I try to convince you we should help New York City mass transit,” Schumer said.
Schumer said he has talked with newly-appointed Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg about moving forward with fortifying the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River. He said they also discussed improving other pieces of transit infrastructure while addressing the climate crisis and economic justice.
Buttigieg seemed “amenable” to the New York City proposals, Schumer said.
New York City may have an advantage when it comes to bending Buttigieg’s ear. The city’s former Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg was tapped as one of Buttigieg’s top deputies.
The most recent COVID-19 relief bill includes billions of dollars for the MTA, enough to temporarily halt service reductions, layoffs and fare hikes, but the agency said it will need billions more to improve service and maintain existing infrastructure. Revenue has plummeted during the pandemic with far fewer people riding the rails and bus routes.
But even that funding was a tough sell, Schumer said. Many senators insulated in their automobiles and prioritizing car-centric constituents fail to understand “how mass transit affects the whole country, how it’s the future, how it’s clean, how it’s green,” he said.
Schumer said he hopes the senate will soon pass a multi-trillion-dollar stimulus package that includes $20 billion for mass transit systems across the country. A portion of that will be earmarked for New York City, he said.
He called himself an ally of the straphanger set and advocates for expansive public transit
“We’re a great team,” he said. “I'm the inside guy, you’re the outside folks.”
“Together we’re a one-two punch and so far we’ve had success getting what we needed in both bills, and we’ve got to build on this success moving forward… as part of a larger paradigm shift towards the priority of mass transit as a federal investment.”
