Source: Daily News
Publication Date: November 20, 2007

After the endless bludgeoning he received from friends and foes alike over his driver's license plan, all the praise Gov. Eliot Spitzer is reaping now in response to his call for the MTA to freeze the base subway fare at $2 has got to be a nice change of pace for him.

A sampling of the uniformly positive statements (at least all I've seen so far) appears after the jump, plus the personal plugs various elected officials couldn't help but give to themselves:

• City Comptroller Bill Thompson called the news "gratifying," adding: "(Spitzer) has heard the collective voice of New Yorkers that a fare increase at this time would be burdensome. His commitment to keep the base fare at $2.00 through 2010, amidst even greater budgetary challenges for the MTA, is to be commended. All New York City straphangers appreciate the Governor's leadership in the face of the ever-rising cost of basic necessities."

Thompson noted that he pointed out potential revenue sources earlier this year that would help avoid a fare hike and address inequities in the distribution of transit subsidies and called on state lawmakers to make use of these suggestions.

• State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said: "The Governor's announcement today that the MTA's unexpected surplus will be returned to commuters by scaling back planned fare increases is good news. The Governor's commitment to help the MTA close its out year budget gaps is even better news.

"As I said in August, the MTA should put New York's commuters first. Today's announcement is evidence that our message was received."

• Gene Russianoff, NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign: "The Straphangers Campaign congratulates Governor Spitzer and the MTA on holding the base transit fare to $2.00 in 2008 and 2009. That's welcome news for many riders who are struggling in a difficult and expensive economic climate.

We also applaud Governor Spitzer's explicit commitment to addressing the MTA's hundreds of millions of new funding the agency desperately needs in 2010. Riders will need a dedicated champion to make sure the MTA - and the public it serves - can effectively cope with a tough financial future."

Russianoff also raised a number of questions - from whether the 20 percent pay-per-ride bonus will be retained to whether the MTA will be fairly funded by the city and state going forward.

• Councilman John Liu, Transportation Committee chair, "commended" Spitzer, but not the MTA, adding: "Ultimately, it all boils down to the MTA's credibility and New Yorkers simply are not ready to pay the MTA more now when there is a billion dollars of operating surplus."

"There's no need to increase the base fare, nor is their any need to increase the price of weekly and monthly passes. Hopefully with the Governor's stance, the MTA will drop their almost nonsensical effort to hike the fares and get down to the real business of running our mass transit system, of fixing stations, of terror-proofing the subways, of installing communications capabilities, and maintaining the storm drainage systems."

• Marcia Bystryn, executive director, New York League of Conservation Voters: "Mass transit is the lifeblood of New York City, and the state, city and riders must do all they can to ensure it is properly funded and maintained. By holding the base fare at $2, Governor Spitzer and the MTA are helping riders make the environmentally responsible choice by keeping mass transit affordable and accessible to as many people as possible."

UPDATE: Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver: "Governor Spitzer and I, along with my Assembly Majority colleagues from the metropolitan area, agree that the $2 fare should be saved. The Governor this morning also acknowledged something that I have been saying all along - that there is a need for additional state resources for the MTA. I will continue to fight for those additional resources, so that there is no added burden on straphangers."