Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has done it again, unveiling a staggering $68.4 billion Capital Plan for 2025-2029, the largest in the agency’s financially turbulent history. But instead of promising a brighter future for our transit system, this plan is nothing more than another costly disaster waiting to happen, and it will hit New York taxpayers the hardest. The MTA’s financial mismanagement has gone unchecked for far too long, and we can no longer afford to blindly trust its promises while it hemorrhages public funds.
Even state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli — a Democrat — is sounding the alarm. He recently pointed out the glaring holes in the MTA’s financial planning, calling attention to the fact that it is still missing a massive $15 billion in funding for its 2020-2024 Capital Plan. And yet here we are, being asked to green-light another $68.4 billion in spending, with over $48 billion not even having an identified funding source.
Knowing this for far too long, I introduced Assembly Bill A.6906, which would finally put a stop to this reckless cycle. My bill calls for the repeal of congestion pricing, a deeply flawed policy that will unfairly burden Long Islanders and other suburban commuters while offering no real solutions for traffic congestion or ways to improve mass transit. Perhaps more critically, my bill demands a comprehensive, independent forensic audit of MTA finances. You read that right. The agency is preparing to spend billions of dollars without a single independent audit to assure the public that its money is being managed properly. That’s not just irresponsible — it’s dangerous.
Let’s be clear: the MTA is not a financially stable entity. Time and again it has proven to be a black hole for taxpayer dollars, with no meaningful oversight or accountability. DiNapoli’s warning should be a wake-up call for all of us. The multi-billion-dollar gap in the 2020-2024 Capital Plan raises serious questions about which projects will be delayed or canceled. Now the agency plans to spend an additional $68 billion. As recent reports reveal, expenses for basic infrastructure projects like subway elevator installations have ballooned to over $100 million, underscoring the MTA’s reckless spending. With these eye-popping budget figures, it’s clearer than ever that its finances demand a transparent forensic audit. How much more taxpayer money are we willing to throw into the MTA’s bottomless pit before we demand answers?
While New York City enjoys taxpayer-subsidized transit services, Long Islanders continue to suffer from underinvestment and neglect. The Long Island Rail Road’s Oyster Bay line, which serves communities in my district, has been grossly underfunded for years, leaving commuters with limited and unreliable options. Although the MTA has announced small improvements, like increasing the number of trains from Oyster Bay to Penn Station, they are nowhere near enough to address the broader issues of inadequate service and disrepair.
Meanwhile, congestion pricing — a policy designed to fund the MTA by taxing commuters — will disproportionately hurt suburban and working-class New Yorkers, especially Long Islanders. It is unfair for us to bear the brunt of funding a system that prioritizes New York City’s needs while ignoring the needs of the suburban communities that help pay for it. Despite pausing the program in response to concerns about the cost for commuters, Gov. Kathy Hochul now plans to reinstate it with a reduced toll of $9. That would still unjustly burden Long Island and suburban commuters, who already pay some of the highest transit fees in the nation. A new toll — no matter the price — will only add to the cost-of-living crisis that so many New Yorkers, especially those outside the city’s core, already face.
It is long past time for transparency at the MTA. My bill would bring that accountability by repealing congestion pricing and mandating an audit of the MTA. This isn’t a radical idea — it’s basic fiscal responsibility. Every dollar the MTA spends comes from hardworking taxpayers, and they deserve to know how their money is being spent. The MTA is asking for an unprecedented amount of funding with no guarantee of how that money will be spent or whether it will actually improve the system. Albany Democrats are happy to sign off on runaway spending plans, but I refuse to stand by while the MTA digs itself — and all of us — deeper into debt.
It’s time to take a stand. I urge my colleagues in the Assembly and State Senate to join me in supporting my bill, and I call on the public to demand better. We cannot afford to keep paying for the MTA’s mistakes. Let’s repeal congestion pricing, audit the MTA, and finally restore accountability to this critical institution.
Jake Blumencranz represents the 15th Assembly District.
