S.4257C/A.

6766C/Letter in Support
Amalgamated Transit UnionATU Local 726
ATU Local 1056ATU Local 1179
ATU Local 1181-1061American Council of Engineering Companies of New York
Asian Americans for EqualityCenter for Working Families
Citizens Committee for New York CityCommon Cause/New York
Construction ndustry CouncilCUNY nstitute for Urban Systems
District Council 37DC 37 Local 375B
DC 37 Local 1655Empire State Transportation Alliance
Environmental Defense FundGeneral Contractors Association of New York
League of Women Voters of the City of NYLeague of Women Voters of New York State
Long sland Contractors' Association, nc. (LCA)MTA Coalition of Unions
National Conference of Firemen and OilersNew York Building Congress
New York League of Conservation VotersNYPRG Straphangers Campaign
New York State Council of MachinistsNY State Legislative Conference Board
New York State Transportation Equity AlliancePCAC to MTA
Pratt Center for Community DevelopmentRegional Plan Association
Reinvent AlbanyTeamsters Local 808Transit Riders Action Committee
Transportation Alternatives TWU Local 100
TWU Local 252TWU Local 2001TWU Local 2054
Transport Workers nternational Union of AmericaTri-State Transportation Campaign
UPROSEWe Act for Environmental JusticeWomen's City Club


July 12, 2011

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Executive Chambers, State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo:

Congratulations on a very productive legislative session. Our groups strongly urge you
to sign the transit "lockbox legislation, which was passed with overwhelming support by
the State Senate and Assembly (S.4257C/A.6766C).

The strong principle of the legislation that MTA dedicated funds should be spent as
intended has attracted a wide range of supporters. These include business leaders,
labor and trade unions, transit and environmental advocates, environmental justice and
community groups.

S.4257C/A.6766C/Letter in Support


The "lockbox bill was a reaction to the diversion of $260 million in transit funds over
the last three years. These diversions contributed to the worst metropolitan-area
transit service cuts in memory. They included the elimination of 36 bus routes and 570
bus stops; killing all or parts of three subway lines; and burdening millions of city and
suburban riders with lengthier waits, more crowding, extra transfers and longer trips.
Commuter rail riders have had their trains eliminated and stops added to remaining
trains. Para-transit service for individuals with disabilities has been made even less
convenient or, in some communities, eliminated completely.

Our groups understand that New York State faces extremely serious financial woes.
But raiding dedicated transit funds is poor policy. The dedicated taxes and fees that
flow into the dedicated fund were explicitly created, and politically justified, to provide
the MTA with a "stable and reliable dedicated funding source. Additionally, the $260
million diverted from the dedicated funds aggravated declining dedicated tax revenue
caused by the economic downturn.

Our groups support your goal of restoring fiscal responsibility to New York State. This
bill is consistent with your goal of ending New York's fiscal shell game. t is basic good
governance to keep the promise to taxpayers and transit riders that dedicated transit
funds will be spent on transit.

One quarter of the state's workforce relies on mass transit to get to work. They, their
employers, and the economy rely on these dedicated taxes to help pay for subway, bus
and commuter operations and transit capital projects.

Thank you for considering our request.

Sincerely,

Signatories on attached pages








S.4257C/A.6766C/Letter in Support


Larry Hanley
nternational President
Amalgamated Transit Union

Angelo Tanzi
President
ATU Local 726

Daneek Miller
President
ATU Local 1056

John Lyons
President
ATU Local 1179

Michael Cordiello
President
ATU Local 1181-1061

Jay Simson
President
American Council of Engineering Companies of New York
Companies of New York

Christopher Kui
Executive Director
Asian Americans for Equality

Dave Palmer
Executive Director
Center for Working Families

Peter H. Kostmayer
CEO
Citizens Committee for New York City


S.4257C/A.6766C/Letter in Support



Deanna Bitetti
Associate Director
Common Cause/New York

Ross J. Pepe
President
Construction ndustry Council

Robert E. Paaswell, PhD
Director
CUNY nstitute for Urban Systems

Lillian Roberts
Executive Director
District Council 37

Behrouz Fathi
President
DC 37 Local 375B

Jonathan Gray
President
DC 37 Local 1655

Bob Yaro
Co-Chair
Empire State Transportation Alliance
Regional Plan Association

James T.B. Tripp
Senior Counsel
Environmental Defense Fund

Denise Richardson
Managing Director
General Contractors Association of New York

S.4257C/A.6766C/Letter in Support

Miriam Adelman
President
League of Women Voters of the City of NY

Laura Ladd Bierman
Executive Director
League of Women Voters of New York State

Marc Herbst
Executive Director
Long sland Contractors' Association

John Samuelsen
President
TWU, Local 100
Co-Chair
MTA Coalition of Unions

Dean Devita and James Farragon
National Conference of Firemen and Oilers

Richard Anderson
President
New York Building Congress

Marcia Bystryn
Executive Director
New York League of Conservation Voters

Gene Russianoff
Senior Attorney
NYPRG Straphangers Campaign

Jimmy Conigliano
President
New York State Council of Machinists



S.4257C/A.6766C/Letter in Support





Tom Carney
Chairman
NY State Legislative Conference Board

Steering Committee
NYS Transportation Equity Alliance

William Henderson
Executive Director
PCAC to MTA

Elena Conte
Organizer for Public Policy Campaigns
Pratt Center for Community Development

John Kaehny
Executive Director
Reinvent Albany

Chris Silvera
Chairman
Teamsters Local 808

Paul Steely White
Executive Director
Transportation Alternatives

Patricia Bowden
President
TWU Local 252

John R. Feltz
President
TWU Local 2001

S.4257C/A.6766C/Letter in Support
Brian DeLucia
President
TWU Local 2054



Jim Little
nternational President
Transport Workers nternational Union of America

Kate Slevin
Executive Director
Tri-State Transportation Campaign

Elizabeth Yeampierre
Executive Director
UPROSE

James Burke
Environmental Policy Coordinator
We Act for Environmental Justice
Transit Riders Action Committee

Ruth Acker
President
Women's City Club

Cc: Larry Schwartz
Pat Foye
Jim Malatras
Yokima Bennett
Jay Walder
Hilary Ring