By Angelina DiLeo
The op-ed from the New York Post, called “MTA’s reckless spending habits: Letters to the Editor” written by multiple writers, which are criticizing MTA’s request for $4 billion. This article showcases frustration with the company’s management, like people not paying for the subway, and more. They argue that the continued financial support for the MTA is pointless in a sense, especially with the MTA’s history of delayed projects, and never actually going forward with what they intend to do. The writers believe that instead of getting more funding, the MTA should be working to prevent corruption beforehand. They also argue that focusing more on people who avoid paying for their tickets would help recover lost revenue. Overall, the op-ed is saying that the MTA’s position is not effective and that giving them more money won’t fix the problems unless major changes are made, fundamentally saying that they shouldn’t be asking for this amount of money at all.
Firstly, I do understand the areas of concern from the writers of the op-ed. I agree that accountability and accuracy are very important for any big company, especially one as public as the MTA. Spending money on these things should be more transparent to the public, and I think transparency with the public could help find problems along the way. Additionally, the issue of people not paying for their tickets and jumping the subway tolls is a serious concern that should be addressed through stronger enforcement and more so policy adjustments that involve the government. I do understand that no public transportation system can function correctly if a big portion of its users do not contribute to paying the toll.
In the op-ed, James Long states, “Jumping the subway turnstiles is much like shoplifting these days: There is no fear of any consequences”. While I agree that yes, it’s unsafe and definitely contributes to the MTA losing money, I think that’s what this increase in budget could help go to. Enforcing a stricter way to commute in the MTA so they don’t lose money from those unwilling to pay. The MTA is losing money for multiple reasons, reasons that are quite literally visible to the public eye, like the old equipment and fewer riders since the pandemic. Even myself riding the subway, I’ve noticed so many subways down or just out of order. Not to mention the continuous crime that occurs on these subways which has definitely made the company lose more money. I honestly think increasing the prices of the tickets could help prevent this, hence why I agree with the MTA asking for more funding. Just focusing on people jumping over the subway polls for a free ride won’t fix the bigger financial problems at stake. Instead, I believe we need an all around plan that improves accountability and upgrades the system all in one.
While I acknowledge and understand these concerns from the writers of the op-ed, I disagree with the idea that pausing the funding from the MTA is a good solution. Myself, who is a Brooklyn resident, I know public transportation is essential to New York’s economy, daily commuters, and more. And if the MTA does not receive the necessary funding to maintain and improve, the consequences will not only be felt by the MTA itself but by millions of commuters who rely on it every day. I think it could also be beneficial to hear from more people who use the MTA to commute every single day, rather than trying to make opinions with no other perspectives.
People who agree with the op-ed’s areas of concern should consider that while criticism of the MTA is completely understandable , defunding the corporation is not going to help. If we want a public transit system that is safe and efficient, we need both funding and accountability at hand.
Article link: https://nypost.com/2025/03/24/opinion/mtas-reckless-spending-habits-letters/
From this article, I learned more about the MTA’s financial problems and the concerns people have regarding how the organization handles public funds. I agree with the article’s call for more intervention and accountability. It’s clear that the MTA has a history of delays and poor transparency, and I believe they need to make real changes to fix these internal issues. The author explains the situation clearly by highlighting the main points and concerns. I agree with her that cutting funding won’t help. As she states, I believe it is essential to have both funding and accountability, because without the right amount of money, real change is difficult to achieve.