#GOP coronavirus package will force MTA fare and toll hikes: Cuomo

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The George Washington Bridge toll plaza
Christopher Sadowski

The GOP’s proposed federal coronavirus aid package would force the MTA to hike transit fares and bridge tolls, Gov. Andrew Cuomo claimed Tuesday.

“If the MTA does not receive funding — if the state doesn’t receive funding — then we can’t provide our funding to the MTA,” Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters.

“That will raise fares for the New York City subway system, tolls on bridges and the fares on the Long Island Rail Road. The funding has to come from somewhere,” the governor said.

Depleted ridership and tax revenue amid the pandemic has left the MTA with a $14 billion shortfall over the next 17 months, according to agency figures.

The initial stimulus passed by Congress in March provided the agency $3.9 billion — but transit officials say they need another $3.9 billion to get through the year.

The HEALS act presented by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday, however, does not include a cash injection.

The MTA suspended its $51.5 billion modernization plan in June due to the fiscal uncertainty. Agency Chairman Pat Foye has repeatedly said “everything is on the table” if Congress fails to act — including fare and toll hikes, service cuts and layoffs.

On Tuesday Foye called McConnell’s proposal “shameful” and “backwards.”

A rival Democratic proposal includes nearly $1 trillion in bailout money for state and local governments, which Republicans largely oppose.

“We need an injection of $3.9 billion in additional emergency federal funding just to keep the lights on this year,” Foye said in a statement.

“Without federal relief, the MTA will have no other choice but to make drastic service reductions, pandemic-related fare and toll increases, job cuts, or gut our historic capital plan.”