Jay Walder Haz a Sad

The MTA is crying "Poverty" once again.  All sorts of doomsday cuts in service and fare hikes are planned.  The MTA finds itself faced with a furious riding public.  The mayor is, of course, silent.   The governor, as is known, has his own problems.  That leaves the MTA chairman to go it alone.

Chairman Jay Walder:

“I’m exhausted right now,” Mr. Walder told a group of advocates for passengers at a meeting at the authority’s Midtown headquarters. “I’m feeling it. I’m emotional about it. But I don’t know what the answer is.”

The chairman, speaking in unusually personal terms, described “turning over in bed” as he struggled with a nearly $400 billion budget shortfall that recently ballooned by an additional $378 million.

“If you ask me now, do I know how to close that new $378 million gap, the frank answer is, ‘No, I don’t,’ ” Mr. Walder said. “They’re broke,” he said of the state. “If you believe that somebody will come to the rescue of the M.T.A., I don’t see it today.”

You need answers, Mr. Walder.  I have some:

1. Go to Albany and lobby for the corporate tax rate be increased.
2. Go back to Albany and lobby for state income taxes on those making more than $250,000/year be increased.  While you're there, suggest a substantial tax on bonus income greater than $50,000/year.
3. Go to Albany a third time and lobby for tolls on the East River bridges.

Except that (and this is where I feel for you, Mr. Walder), New York has a governor who is beyond weak, not to mention the most corrupt state legislature in the country.  And so even if you did those things, I'm pretty sure that absolutely nothing would get done until the governor settles his little problem and the legislature is replaced.  Which leaves me feeling almost as hopeless as you.