Senator Perkins and Assemblyman Brodsky Seek MTA Reform
March 29, 2009
Yonkers Tribune. Committee Chairs Ask Governor Paterson to Join their Efforts to Add Reform of MTA Operations and MTA Board to Financial Package.
New York, NY -- Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, and Senator Bill Perkins, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, today released the content of a letter to Governor Paterson which asks the Governor to join their efforts to fundamentally reform the MTA.
Recent events at the MTA including the 2 Broadway deal, the 7 Line extension, the failure to publicly acknowledge cash resources, the failure to seek state and city support before voting for fare increases, and the focus on non-essential matters such as EZ-Passes for Board Members, has left the public with little confidence in the MTA. The Chairmen, whose Committees have Jurisdiction over the MTA, are seeking fundamental reform from the ground up, including regular outside oversight, sworn duty by officers of the MTA to fulfill their mission, and Comptroller review of all contracts. Specifically, Senator Perkins and Assemblyman Brodsky propose that any financing legislation include the following:
1) Board Members of the MTA should be subject to a statutory fiduciary duty to the mission and purpose of the MTA, as set forth in existing statutes.
2) There should be created a MTA/Authority Accountability Office to oversee that fiduciary duty and MTA operations, to recommend to the Legislature effective reforms of debt, compensation, MWBE, property disposition and other issues, to inquire into MTA activities and resolve complaints, and to receive and publish MTA documents. This is modeled on the successful NYC Budget Office.
3) The MTA should be required to publish, in real time, its finances, policies, plans and decisions. The current system relies heavily on post-facto audits. These do a reasonable job in telling us what went wrong. They do little to stop mistakes. Real-time review by the public, the Legislature, and the Authority Accountability Office could prevent problems not just explain why they happened.
4) The Comptroller should be empowered, consistent with the constitutional duties of the Office, to review selected contracts issued by the MTA.
"The MTA needs billions of dollars, but it is the State Government's duty to ensure that the money is spent intelligently. That requires real reform of the MTA, not window dressing. We look forward to discussing ways to enact thorough long lasting reforms that fundamentally address the problems with the way the MTA operates," said Assemblyman Richard Brodsky.
"The MTA should stand for More Transparency and Accountability," said Senator Perkins. "I strongly believe that there must be significant change in the way in which the MTA operates. Their misleading practices, such as keeping double books and fuzzy accounting, will no longer be tolerated. We need reform now."
The complete letter is attached: Download MTA letter 3.25.09