Gov. Pataki: Ain't no love for the heart of the city

It's bad enough that subway fares will increase again next year. Now, thanks to a budge shortfall that Pataki is reluctant to make up, MTA will have to choose between scrapping expansion plans (including the much needed Second Avenue Subway) and letting the system go to the crapper by not performing neccessary repairs and maintenance. Great.

Transit Chief Says Repairs Have Priority Over Expansion (NY Times) [click here to continue]

[MTA chairman Peter] Kalikow has warned that the next year could be similar to 1975, when a financial crisis forced the authority to halt spending on basic maintenance. The system hit its nadir in the winter of 1980-81, when subway service was crippled by widespread equipment failures.

"If we don't have the full $17 billion core program, you can write down, '2005 is the day the system reached its zenith, and is now starting its descent,'" Mr. Kalikow said.

That's a comforting thought.