THE ASSEMBLY

CHAIR
STATE OF NEW YORK
ALBANY

Committee on Corporations,
Authorities,
and Commissions

COMMITTEES
JAMES F. BRENNAN
44th Assembly District
Kings County

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo

Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

Codes;
Education;
Real Property Taxation

19 February 2016

Dear Governor Cuomo:

We write to urge you to make good on your promise and fund the State's share of the MTA capital
programstarting now in this year's budget.
We were glad to see an agreement struck between you and Mayor Bill de Blasio to fund the New York
City Metropolitan Transportation Authoritys 2015-2019 Capital Program and noted your pledge in
January to modernize and fundamentally transform the MTA. We are also pleased to see an end to the
annual raids on dedicated transit funds. Now we ask you to make good on your promise and include an
appropriation in this years budget for the 2015-2019 MTA Capital Program, and to approve the Capital
Plan as soon as possible so this vital work can begin. We also urge you to convene the MTA Capital
Program Review Board to approve the 2015-2019 Capital Plan as soon as possible so this vital work can
move forward.
Nearly nine million New Yorkers rely on our subways, buses and commuter rail services every day. MTA
service is the linchpin of the regions economic livelihood and quality of lifeand manufacturing for
MTA equipment creates good jobs across the state. Yet more and more, New Yorkers are stymied by
reliability and quality of service because our investment in mass transit has not kept pace with the growth
in ridership throughout the region.
In 2015 and again in January, you committed to pay $7.3 billion toward the remaining four years of the
MTA capital programa necessary and important step. Unfortunately, your Executive Budget currently
includes $0 in new money for the MTA Capital Program, nor does the budget provide a funding stream to
enable the MTA to generate the necessary funds. Instead, the budget says that the MTA can seek new
funds from the State only after it has exhausted all other means of fundingincluding taking on
additional MTA debt. In order to keep the States promise to transit riders, the State should appropriate

Room 422 Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248, 518 455.5377

416 Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215, 718 788.7221
1414 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn, NY 11226, 718 940.0641
brennaj@assembly.state.ny.us

Assemblymember Jim Brennan

2/19/16 MTA capital funding
Page 2 of 2
one quarter of the promised MTA capital funds$1.825 billionfor each of the next four years, starting
now, or provide a mechanism for the MTA to generate the necessary funds.
Funding the Capital Plan immediately would also eliminate the budget provision requiring the MTA to
exhaust all other available money before State funding becomes available, decreasing the uncertainties
that have led to capital projects falling behind schedule and going over budget.
Our current subway, bus and commuter rail service crisis is the inevitable outcome of unreliable public
support and funding for the transitbut progress is within reach. We urge you to protect millions of daily
transit riders, promote economic growth, and make our State more environmentally sustainable by
following through on your commitment to fund the 2015-2019 MTA Capital Program.

Yours truly,

James F. Brennan
Member of Assembly
The following Members of Assembly join as signatories on this MTA capital funding letter:
Peter J. Abbate
Thomas J. Abinanti
Michael Blake
Edward C. Braunstein
James F. Brennan
David Buchwald
Kevin A. Cahill
Barbara M. Clark
Vivian E. Cook
Steven Cymbrowitz
Michael G. DenDekker
Janet L. Duprey
Sandra R. Galef
Richard N. Gottfried
Pamela Harris
Brian Kavanagh
Joseph R. Lentol
Nicole Malliotakis

Margaret M. Markey
Shelley Mayer
David G. McDonough
Michael Miller
Michael A. Montesano
Walter T. Mosley
Felix W. Ortiz
Steven Otis
Amy R. Paulin
Daniel Quart
Annette M. Robinson
Linda B. Rosenthal
Nily Rozic
Michelle Schimel
Rebecca A. Seawright
Jo Anne Simon
Aravella Simotas
James Skoufis