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Margaret Chin & Stuyvesant H.S. Parents Urge Gov. to Keep Student Metrocards

by SoHo Journal Staff

New York, New York – The Straphangers Campaign and City Council Member Margaret Chin stationed themselves outside Stuyvesant High School in lower Manhattan this afternoon, handing out 1,200 leaflets to students and parents at the Stuyvesant parent-teacher conference. The leaflets urged calling Governor Paterson in support of student MetroCards. 

The MTA has proposed eliminating student MetroCards, which provide free- or half-fare travel on city subways and buses for 585,000 students each weekday. The agency says the move is necessary because it has a $750 million deficit for 2010 and cannot afford the loss of $214 million in revenue on student MetroCards. 

Since 1995, student MetroCards have been funded annually by the City ($45 million) and the State ($45 million), with the remainder covered by the MTA. The agency’s share has grown to $214 million due to higher fares and cuts by the State, which has reduced its share to $25 million.
 
“Call now or pay later for student MetroCards,” said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign, noting that student passes have existed since 1948. He and Councilmember Chin are urging parents, students, and all New Yorkers to call the Governor to ask him not to cut the metrocards at 212-681-4580.
 
“If student MetroCards are eliminated, parents will face thousands of dollars of new expenses that they can ill afford,” said City Council Member Margaret Chin. She represents the First Council District in Manhattan, which includes Stuyvesant High School.
 
Under the State’s Education Law, cities and other localities are reimbursed for 90% of their transportation costs. Costs to parents and students could range from about $343 for each half-fare child to as much as $890 a year for free-fare students according to the Campaign. (More information can be found at: http://www.straphangers.org/studentpasses.)
 
NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign
9 Murray Street-New York, New York 10007
(917-575-9434)

 

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