What's happening
This bill requires annual transfers and settlement funds from the general fund to support New York public transit systems, including the MTA and upstate transit.
Why it matters
Guarantees predictable, inflation-adjusted funding for public transit. By tying annual transfers to both a fixed base and a “growth factor” based on revenues, the bill aims to ensure that funding keeps pace with rising costs and increased transit demand, preventing budget shortfalls that could lead to service cuts or fare hikes.
Prioritizes stability for the MTA and upstate transit. Mandating that no year’s transfer can be less than the previous year provides critical financial stability for both the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and upstate/downstate non-MTA systems, enabling better long-term planning and potentially improved service for riders statewide.
Redirects state settlement windfalls to transit infrastructure. Allocating financial settlement funds directly to public transit (with two-thirds to the MTA and one-third to upstate/non-MTA transit, roads, and bridges) ensures that unexpected state revenue—often from legal settlements—goes toward addressing pressing transportation needs rather than general purposes.
Promotes equity in transit funding across regions. The prescribed split of settlement funds between downstate (primarily the MTA) and upstate/non-MTA regions could help address historic funding imbalances and ensure that both urban and rural transit systems benefit from state financial windfalls.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Increase Transit Funding Statewide
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
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History
- Referred to ways and means
- Referred to ways and means
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2707
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 23, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to the funding of public transit systems; and to repeal paragraph (c) of subdivision 5 of section 88-a of the state finance law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 5 of section 88-a of the state finance law is REPEALED and two new paragraphs (c) and (d) are added to read as follows:
(c) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to transfer from the general fund for deposit into the public transportation system operating assistance account, on or before March thirty-first of each year, an amount equal to the following:
(i) For the state fiscal year ending March thirty-first, two thousand eighteen, fifteen million dollars;
(ii) In each succeeding state fiscal year, the transfer shall equal the product of two hundred five million six hundred fifty-two thousand one hundred dollars and one plus the growth factor. For the purposes of this subparagraph, the growth factor is the percentage, if any, by which the aggregate amount of revenue deposited in the metropolitan mass transportation operating assistance account for the twelve month period ending on December thirty-first of the immediately preceding calendar year exceeds the aggregate amount of revenue deposited in the metropolitan mass transportation operating assistance account for the twelve month period ending on December thirty-first, two thousand fifteen. In no year will the amount of the deposit authorized under this section be less than the amount made in the prior year.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02666-01-7
A. 2707 2
(d) Any financial settlement funds collected by the state on or after April first, two thousand seventeen shall be dedicated to New York state upstate and downstate transit systems, as follows:
(i) two-thirds of such financial settlement funds shall be allocated to the metropolitan transportation authority; and
(ii) one-third of such financial settlement funds shall be allocated for upstate transit, roads and bridges and downstate non-metropolitan transportation authority transit systems.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.