Political Quotes

“As a frequent rider and former commuter on New York's mass transit system, I know how important public transportation is. Alone, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or MTA, transports more than 8.5 million commuters across metropolitan New York every day. In the district I'm privileged to serve--New York's 19th Congressional District--which includes Westchester, Orange, Rockland, Dutchess, and Putnam Counties, the MTA's 31 Metro-North Railroad stations serve 11,000 passengers every weekday. Our Hudson Valley's mass transit commuters lost part of their recent tax credits for employer-provided mass transit benefits as of January 1 of this year. Commuters utilizing the mass transit portion have seen their credits drop from $230 per month to $125 per month, which means that their commuting costs have increased. In contrast, commuters utilizing the driving and parking benefits have seen an automatic increase from $230 per month to $240 per month, which is why I introduced the Commuter Savings Act on June 29. This legislation would extend parity between the mass transit and parking portions of the transportation tax credit, which would increase mass transit benefits from $125 per month to $240 per month. Mass transit minimizes traffic congestion, reduces fuel consumption, and limits the wear and tear on our roads and bridges. It's really a great win for all of us even if we don't use mass transit.…”