The Hill News

Everyday 8.5 million residents of the Tri-State area use New York City's mass-transit system. They rely on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) buses, trains and subways to get them to and from work, visit loved ones, or simply enjoy everything this great city has to offer. Likewise, the 49 million tourists the City welcomes every year use the City's transit system to explore the five boroughs, visit our world-class museums or see the sights.

The images and iconography of New York City's transit system are equally well traveled. Whether it's the main concourse at Grand Central Terminal or the iconic letters and numbers that guide travelers through the subway, when one rides our transit system there is a distinct feeling that you are a part of something that is central to New York City's character. But, what most riders don't realize is that this system is as much a part of New York State as it is the City; when you ride a MTA bus it's likely that t! he bus was built in Oriskany, NY, in the state's Central Region. Or, the subway car you take downtown was built with parts from Auburn and Hornell, NY. This experience that seems to be inseparable from the character of New York City is really about much more. It is about a state and city in the business of getting people to work. Whether that be on the factory floor of a bus manufacturer upstate or on the 7 Line headed from Woodside, Queens to Manhattan, the MTA is among the state's most important job creators and enablers. In fact, the MTA's 2005-2009 Capital Program resulted in $41 billion in economic activity and created 325,000 jobs throughout the state.

Over the past few weeks, Congress has debated the long overdue surface transportation reauthorization, The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (H.R. 7). This bill provides the guiding authorization for funding our highways, bridges and mass-transit systems, in addition to setting key safety regulation! s and environmental rules. Unfortunately, this bill was writte! n and br ought to the floor in the most partisan of manners, making it what Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former House Republican, called "the worst transportation bill" in decades.

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