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 July 28, 2001 |
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Editorial: How many times must we fight this particular battle? The RIOC Board has asked Islanders for their views on eliminating the third shift of the Tramway, which would end service at 10:00 p.m. RIOC points out, in asking the question, that every rider on that shift is subsidized some $6.45, resulting in a "loss" of $635,100 a year. The cure our mostly-non-resident Board apparently has in mind is to eliminate the service during the hours involved. 
Doing so would marginalize every handicapped resident and every senior unwilling to risk a late-night subway ride. It would say, in effect: You late-night riders unable to use the subway or, in the interest of your personal safety, unwilling to use it, and unable or unwilling to pay the price of a cab ride from Manhattan, are now officially out on the margin of society, unworthy of the services others enjoy. In fact, even asking the question demeans and marginalizes this segment of the Island's population - putting those residents under threat of termination of a vital service. It marginalizes us all: Threaten my neighbor this way and you are threatening me. The threat, cavalier and callous, is too easily issued by a Board that demonstrates once again that it is unable to act responsibly toward the people who live here. We have no evidence that the Board of Directors has asked for a Tramway subsidy appropriation in this year's State budget. And we note that every other mass transit system in the State is subsidized with tax money - almost every one at a far higher percentage than the average Tramway rider. So for the Board to raise this threatening question is both irresponsible and irrational, when what it should be doing is demanding that the State not only subsidize the Tramway appropriately, but subsidize the addition of the service to the MTA's MetroCard. RIOC President Rob Ryan will tell you that "the Tram is subsidized." It is, by RIOC, but only with Island-generated funds that otherwise could be used for Island maintenance and services. It is not subsidized with your State tax dollars, which are used to subsidize every other mass transit system. The RIOC Board seems determined, repeatedly, to hand us clear demonstrations of why the unelected, appointed Board should instead be composed of elected residents. Meanwhile, despite efforts, the Island's legislative representatives - Pete Grannis and Olga Mendez - have again failed to move legislation for a locally-elected RIOC Board through the State Legislature. Residents remain powerless over their own community. It is time for an elected RIOC Board, now, before this runaway Board follows through on another of its bonehead ideas. Failing that, it's time for this RIOC Board to realize the nature of its responsibilities, which manifestly do not include threatening our seniors and handicapped residents with a 10:00 p.m. curfew. While we are at this, we have a question for the resident members of the RIOC Board (Susan Whitaker, David Kraut, Patrick Stewart, and - though he moved away recently - Kevin Fullington): How dare they allow their fellow Board members even to ask this threatening question? Do they expect those who have no need for late-night service to say, "Go ahead. Screw my neighbors. I don't need Tram service at those hours." We are community. We don't act that way. We all, every one, should exhibit the outrage that this question deserves in letters and calls to RIOC and to our elected officials. And while you're at it, let's keep the process honest. Send a copy to The WIRE. The appropriate mailing addresses, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses follow. DL
Senator Olga Mendez Member of Assembly Pete Grannis Councilmember Gifford Miller RIOC / Tram Comments Copies to The WIRE and Website NYC10044
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