Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Hue and Cry

Teaching Artists who take the subway or bus may be interested to know that yet another round of fares hikes and service cuts is on the horizon.

Public hearings on the reductions start today.

One significant item is the planned gradual elimination of free subway fares for New York City Public School students. According to a recent article in Streetsblog, The Metropolitan Transit Authority offers about 585,000 students free and low-cost fares to and from school, but all that is scheduled to change by 2011, because now there is no money for anything--excepting war without end, apparently.

An article in the New York Times shows how lower-income students may suffer if their families cannot afford to pay full fare on the subway. Drop-out rates are likely to increase as a result of the elimination of free and low-cost fares for students.

Teaching Artists and students who feel inclined, can let the MTA know how these  service cuts and fare hikes will affect their daily lives.  Submit testimony by email here or by regular mail: MTA Community Affairs, 347 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10017.

If you have time to attend one of the public hearings live and in person, the borough by borough schedule is located here.

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