Tax money that was supposed to be for #publictransit was "redirected."

In New York State, Transit Cuts Hit Seniors, Low-Income Residents Hardest – Next American City: "The study also found that while ridership increased, transit system operators have been squeezed by both decreased state and local funding and higher operating costs. Albany has repeatedly redirected funds earmarked for transit, and the only dedicated state funding source for non-MTA systems, the petroleum business tax, has not been raised since 2004. Because the tax does not rise or fall with the price of gas, revenues have stayed relatively flat over the years."

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Occupy Wall Street Supports Quebec Anti-austerity protests

Occupy Wall Street | NYC Protest for World Revolution: "Last week, the government of Quebec passed an emergency law (Loi 78) criminalizing the massive demonstrations and assemblies in an effort to stamp out the strike. The new law restricts demonstrations and orders the closing of some universities. Among other things, organizers must inform police of the route of any demonstration that includes 50 or more people 8 hours before the demonstration. Unions and student federations are threatened with fines of up to $125,000 if someone is prevented from entering an educational institution."

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Stop the oil wars

We Can Have A Better Life

We need a new system that keeps money and jobs in our communities, a system that focuses on local needs. Investment in local businesses brings local jobs. Community banks bring local investment. Local farming brings healthy food. Local energy generation will keep us out of foreign wars for oil and stop global warming. And a strong local community keeps our children and elders safe."

USA not broke! #occupywallstreet calls out banks for their thievery.

http://twitpic.com/9g61hn

Why do we let the killing continue? We can stop it if we want.

Cars claim innocent victims every day

Streetsblog continues to do the difficult work of reporting the horrors of the auto culture. Will you pitch in and help?

The NYC Mayoral Transit Stakes Begin — Stringer Backs Commuter Tax | Transportation Nation

The NYC Mayoral Transit Stakes Begin — Stringer Backs Commuter Tax | Transportation Nation: "Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer is the first likely 2013 New York mayoral candidate out of the box with a detailed plan for financing the city’s transit system.  It’s a a mix of solutions — but the gist is this, there should be more financing for transit, and not just from transit riders."

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MTA gives $2B a year to bankers

TWU Leader Won’t Disown Occupy for Fare-Beating | OccupyWallSt.org: "“Instead of using our tax money to properly fund transit, Albany and City Hall have intentionally starved transit of public funds for over twenty years,” the activists said in a press release. “The MTA must resort to bonds (loans from Wall Street) to pay for projects and costs,” they added, calling the agency “a virtual ATM for the super-rich.”

They pointed out that the MTA spends more than $2 billion a year to pay off its debt.

“This means Wall Street bondholders receive a huge share of what we put into the system through the Metrocards we buy and the taxes we pay,” they concluded."

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Successful Fare Strike This [Wednesday] Morning - Tens of Thousands Ride NYC Subways for Free | OccupyWallSt.org

Signs resembling Metro Transit Authority notices were posted  on the subway walls of stations around New York City. Photograph: strikeeverywhere.net

Successful Fare Strike This Morning - Tens of Thousands Ride NYC Subways for Free | OccupyWallSt.org: "This morning before rush hour, teams of activists, many from Occupy Wall Street, in conjunction with rank and file workers from the Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the Amalgamated Transit Union, opened up more than 20 stations across the city for free entry. As of 10:30 AM, the majority remain open. No property was damaged. Teams have chained open service gates and taped up turnstiles in a coordinated response to escalating service cuts, fare hikes, racist policing, assaults on transit workers’ working conditions and livelihoods — and the profiteering of the super-rich by way of a system they’ve rigged in their favor."

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NYC: If you give in to fear, the terrorists win.

photo

read all about it here: http://occupywallst.org/

Bloomberg says mass #transit should be free

It's Hizzoner to ride train - NY Daily News: "Bloomberg had responded with an engineer's detachment some people take as indifference. He noted costs would keep going up and that the money will have to come from somewhere."
...
"I would have mass transit be given away for nothing and charge an awful lot for bringing an automobile into the city," he said.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/hizzoner-ride-train-article-1.223682#ixzz1pAwzHgE7
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