#Bill de Blasio just protected transit for NYC’s well-off — at the poor’s expense

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An NYC Ferry leaves Pier 11 in lower Manhattan in early May.
Gregory P. Mango

A pair of small choices in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s new budget tells a lot about his true priorities — or, at least, his refusal to let facts stand in his way.

The mayor managed to cut $65 million in funding for the Fair Fares program, which lets low-income New Yorkers get 50 percent discounts on MetroCards. That helped him protect his beloved East River ferry system — which serves mainly higher-income folks.

A survey of over 5,000 ferry riders, done last year by the city’s Economic Development Corp., found that they’re mostly white, wealthy and come from waterfront neighborhoods. Just 36 percent are people of color, while 65 percent make over $75,000 per year, the survey found. It showed that most use the service for leisure trips, not to commute.

Over the objections of city Comptroller Scott Stringer, de Blasio this year dumped $62 million on eight new ferry boats — that is, just about what he’s now cut from Fair Fares. In all, the waterborne white elephant gets $637 million in the new budget.

The mayor insists the ferry system is all about “equity” and “access” — but that’s entirely in his imagination, even more so than the rest of his “progressive” agenda.