Overview
- At a SOMOS press conference, the governor said she cannot back a plan that removes fare income from a system reliant on bus and subway fares.
- Mamdani’s pledge would make city buses free and pay for it with higher taxes on corporations and top earners, changes that need state legislative approval and the governor’s signoff.
- The city’s Independent Budget Office estimates fare-free local buses would cost about $652 million annually, while other reporting places the figure around $700–$800 million or more.
- MTA leaders say a formal study is required to gauge effects on ridership, staffing, bus fleets, depots, and possible shifts away from subway fare revenue.
- The head of the Federal Transit Administration warned fareless systems should not receive federal operating subsidies, even as state lawmakers express openness to affordability goals but stress funding details.