nancial Cen WSE RP COMPANY ¥ Us Eston > | Augudl15, 2018 | Todays Paper | Video Home World US. Politics Economy Business Tech Markets Opinion Life & Arts Real Estate WSJ. Magazine us, vs creme Number of Yosemite Valley “Judge Approves Use Sirtutally Decent Reopens Aer Tree: of SexTrafficing Law Bridges in U.S. Wook Fire Closure in Haney US. | NEWYORK | TRANSIT Subway, Bus Cuts Loom as MTA Faces Financial Crisis Some MTA board members worry about transit agency's plan for $562 million in cost reductions as it hires more workers for Subway Action Plan ‘The MTA believes it will save §28 milion through 2022 by postponing the expansion of the select bus rapid transit service, according to the preliminary budget. PHOTO: ‘YANA PASKOVA FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, By Paul Berger 21. COMMENTS, ‘Aug. 14, 2018 4:50 pm. ET ‘The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans to stop expanding a bus rapid-transit service, reduce bus fare-evasion patrols and cut -te-loo- mo see financial ts 7esi9neslaryf 8182018 125658 AM)vss dozens of positions for subway car cleaning as it seeks $562 million in cost reductions during the next few years. According to emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, some MTA board members are concemed that the authority is taking such cost- savings measures even as it hires more than 1,000 workers under a plan launched last year to improve subway service, known as the Subway Action Plan. MTA board member Carl Weisbrod, an appointee of Mayor Bill de Blasio, wrote in an Aug. 5 email to fellow board members and senior MTA officials: “It's hard to escape the conclusion that we've giveth with one hand through the Subway Action Plan, and we've taketh away, to ‘some extent, through these service cuts.” In an interview Monday, MTA Chairman Joe Lhota rejected assertions that the reductions are service cuts, calling such talk "pejorative and inacourate.” He said the moves are a “redeployment of resources.” Mr. Lhota said any organization as large as the MTA must constantly re-evaluate its deployment of resources. *Not doing so would be malfeasance," he added. He also said that despite staff reductions in some areas, overall the MTA would increase head count across the subway and bus systems by more than 700 positions in the next few years A commuter waited for the M15 Select Bus ata ‘1st Avenue and East 14th Street stop in Manhattan. PHOTO: YANA PASKOVA FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL The cost savings are laid out in the MTA's 521-page preliminary budget and fe fnancal- ii S342 7O419Mela-y[8 15/2018 12:56:58 PNA] OPEN THE DOOR TO luxury ADELTA PRIVATE JETS Most Popular Videos Why You Should Care About Turkey's Meltdown, How the Paul Manafort Trial Unfolded Major Italian Highway Bridge Collapses, Leaving Dozens Dead Elon Musk’s 2018: Tesla, Flamethrowers and Lots of Tweets How Tarifts on Turkey Might Baektirews) financial plan, which was presented to MTA board members in July. MTA Chief Financial Officer Robert Foran explained the broad outlines of the cost savings at the time to the board. But the emails show that ‘some board members took a closer look at the budget after the presentation and said Mr. Foran failed to highlight specific cuts that affect service. Veronica Vanterpool, another appointee of Mr. de Blasio, wrote in an ‘Aug. 3 email that the MTA board relies on staff to flag important issues and ‘the omission perpetuates a sentiment shared by many regarding the opacity of some of the information we do receive.” Mr. Lhota defended Mr. Foran’s presentation, saying it was transparent. ‘Some of the budget reductions didn't raise objections from board members. For example, the MTA expects to save $4 million annually by eliminating overtime payments to the New York Police Department for extra fare-evasion patrols, The NYPD recently relaxed its enforcement of fare-beaters, opting to issue summonses instead of make arrests in most cases. RELATED MTA Ofc Accused of Using Taxpayer Funds to Euy $8000 of (Phones Is Cut Saving Parton Program Proves Too Poel, Runs Mi hay ln een or as Fe Retons Nan Yonrs Co cok eri th End ofthe Morocart ‘The expected expansion of bus rapid transit, known as select bus service, would have been a boon to people in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, especially those living in so-called transit deserts. ‘The MTA doesn't intend to add five new routes previously planned through 2021 while the authority re-evaluates the entire bus network as part of a systemwide overhaul, according to an MTA spokesman. The MTA believes it would save $28 million through 2022 by postponing the expansion, according to the preliminary budget. Officials estimate they could save a further $2.4 million annually by reducing aces Snancil-ciie-153 270819 Meskey[W/1S2018 12:56:58 PM] ‘Most Popular Articles How Bosses Waste Their Employees’ Time Cryptocurrency Market Plums New Depths in 2018 ‘When Retirees Should ‘Not Pay Off Their ‘Mortgages Ford's New CEO Hesa | Cerebral Style—andto ‘Many, 1Us Balfling ie ‘West Virginia Court Impeachment Sets Up a Legal Showdown