NYPTA Applauds Governor and Legislature on Budget Funding

ALBANY, NY (04/04/2016)(readMedia)-- The New York Public Transit Association (NYPTA) is thanking Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senator Majority Leader John Flanagan, Speaker Carl Heastie and members of the Legislature today for their keen recognition of the needs of transit systems across New York in the adopted state budget for fiscal year 2016-2017.

The budget will provide increases in operating and capital funds that will help transit systems continue to connect people to their communities throughout the state. These appropriations will insure that transit systems provide efficient and effective services across New York State. These systems are providing important connections to jobs, to new businesses and to economic opportunity. They also play an important role in providing transportation to our most vulnerable citizens the elderly and disabled.

In particular, we want to thank Senator Joe Robach, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Assemblyman David Gantt, Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee and Assemblyman Jim Brennan, Chair of the Assembly Corporations Committee for their longstanding support of the transit industry and for the increased operating and capital funding in the 2016-17 state budget.

The budget will fulfill the state commitment to the MTA capital program and provides at least $84 million this year in capital funding for the rest of the state's transit systems, as part of an expected multi-year funding commitment for transit infrastructure. This will allow transit systems to make investments to replace old buses, repair aging facilities and modernize fare collection equipment.