Don’t throw our taxpayers under the bus!

Thousands of Long Island Rail Road commuters were left stranded after a fire in the almost century-old switch cables in Jamaica disrupted days of rush-hour service. Around the same time, it was announced that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was exploring plans to raise the price of a monthly Metro card to $130.

Once again, Long Islanders are forced to pay more taxes and fees to cover the MTA’s shortfall. When are we going to stop throwing taxpayers under the bus?

Sounds to me like Long Islanders should unite — Tea Party-style — and protest.

The MTA is currently operating with an $800 million deficit, and must reduce costs. In 2009, it enacted a $200 million “mobility tax,” a.k.a. a payroll tax, of 34 cents on every $100 in payroll or earnings charged to commuters in New York City and the outer boroughs, business owners, charities, school districts, local governments and others.

While Long Islanders bail out the MTA, the authority planned another deficit reducer, diminishing a longstanding arrangement with Nassau County regarding Long Island Bus services. The arrangement dates back to 1973, when both parties agreed that the MTA would act as an operator of the county’s bus system. At the time, the buses were just breaking even.

Since 2000, the county’s financial situation has forced it to considerably reduce the amount it contributes to the buses’ operation. Consequently, the MTA pays millions of dollars more annually to make up for the shortfall.

Today it costs $133 million to run Long island Bus: $40 million paid by the MTA, $44 million from the state, $9.1 million from the county and the remainder falling on consumers. Of all of New York City’s suburban counties, Nassau’s bus system has the largest shortfall. Suffolk and Westchester counties are able to pay their fair share, while the state is forced to help Nassau subsidize what it owes the MTA.