Good afternoon, I’m Brian Fritsch, Associate Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, PCAC.
The Fair Fares program has a modest price tag but makes a major impact on the lives of over 350,000 New Yorkers who now take part in the program. No other city program has the power to improve transportation equity–and lives–while simultaneously addressing our city’s affordability crisis.
I want to sincerely thank the Council and especially Speaker Adams for their steadfast commitment to the program. The expansion of Fair Fares to 145% of the federal poverty level is an important step in the right direction as was the program’s transition to OMNY, but we share the Council’s frustration over the slow pace of implementation last year. Additionally, with a new upper boundary still under $22,000 for an individual or just over $45,000 for a family of four, is it enough? We believe we can and must do better.
The working poor, the backbone of our city, deserve more support from us. PCAC analysis found that expanding Fair Fares to 200% of FPL would expand eligibility to over 415,000 more residents who are currently struggling. This includes 160,000 regular commuters including full-time minimum wage employees, who are incredibly likely to be transit dependent, but currently earn too much to qualify for Fair Fares. At an estimated $36-40 million, the investment in riders worth the cost.
We also found that NYC is the least generous of the major U.S. cities offering public transit discounts for low-income residents, despite having one of the highest costs of living and highest poverty rates. Nearly all other cities use 200% as their income eligibility limit, and most also offer discounts on their commuter rail systems, which New York City currently does not do. It’s time to change that too, so people who live in subway deserts but are close to the Long Island Rail Road or Metro-North can use their Fair Fares benefits on whichever system is most convenient for them.
We thank Senator Comrie for leading the charge on this issue in Albany, and Senate Leadership for including Fair Fares expansion in the recently released Senate One-House Budget.
Transit is the lifeblood of our city, and equitable access to affordable transportation equals economic mobility and opportunity. We will continue to urge the Mayor to step-up and support the expansion of Fair Fares to 200% to ensure that New Yorkers can afford the transit they deserve.