How does Metropolitan New York and surrounding counties pay for Metro-North?

[CandOforprogress2]

Is there some sort of regional tax?

[BaltACD]

Smoke & Mirrors! [/sarcasm]

[54light15]

I lived in Poughkeepsie from 1979 to early 1995. In the early 80s the sales tax in the regions served by the Metro-North was raised by, as I recall, 2%. This went directly to the railroad and it improved remarkably over the years. 

[PJS1]

CandOforprogress2

 Is there some sort of regional tax? 

In 2016 MTA had revenues of $15.2 billion:  55.8 percent came from passenger fares, tolls, and other revenues; 44.2 percent was derived from grants, appropriations, taxes, and other.  It had a net loss of $204 million; however, in 2015 it had a net surplus of $313 million.

 

As is true for most if not all transit systems in the United States, fares, tolls, etc. are not sufficient to pay for the service.  The sponsoring agencies rely heavily on taxes, grants, and indirect subsidies.

 

The taxes, which are levied in the communities served by the MTA - New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, and Putnam Counties, include an urban tax, mortgage recording tax, and a payroll mobility tax. 

 

Appropriates and/or subsidies include Mass Transportation Trust Fund, Metropolitan Mass Transportation Operating Assistance, MTA Aid Trust Account, New York State Service Contract, Operating Assistance - 18-B program, and Build America Bond. 

 

The taxes, appropriations, and subsidies were incurred or derived in 2016; they may differ from year to year. 

 

In 2016 salaries, wages, and benefits accounted for 66 percent of MTA’s operating expenses.  By comparison Amtrak’s salaries, wages, and benefits chewed up 59.4 percent of its operating expenses in 2016. 

 

The annual financial report for the MTA is complex and challenging.  It would take a long time to master it. 

[runnerdude48]

As Balt said - "Smoke and Mirrors".  (No Sarcasm)

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

MTA's financing is not all that different from most regional transit agencies.  Most of them use a regional gasoline tax and sales tax for revenue.

[PJS1]

CSSHEGEWISCH

MTA's financing is not all that different from most regional transit agencies.  Most of them use a regional gasoline tax and sales tax for revenue. 

I cannot think of a U.S. public transit system that does not rely on public funding to cover farebox shortfalls. 

Farebox revenues cover a higher percentage of MTA's revenue requirements than most of the systems that I have looked at.  The only one that covers a higher percentage is San Diego.  

[CandOforprogress2]

MTA is not a local regional transit authority but a New York State Authority and as such gets subsides from Western and Upstate NY communities that have to pay High Taxes to subsdieze downstate when citys like Buffalo have not had a commuter train since 1965 and Rochester has not had a subway since 1959. Furthermore the power for the MTA NYC subways comes from Niagara Falls and the local WNY communities get no power from the falls. Any expansion of Buffalo NFTA service MUST MUST MUST as decreeded by King Coumo must come from local and federal sources as long as the NYC MTA is first in line at the federal trouth.