Transition to OMNY Faces Opposition
Bond agreements and federal rules create barriers; MTA bondholders could sue under U.S. Constitution, FTA restricts subsidies for fareless systems; Mamdani's tax hikes need state approval, which Hochul opposes.
Moving to 100% OMNY enables fare checks for all bus riders and ends off-board collection on 20 Select Bus Service routes, except Q-70 to LaGuardia Airport, which Hochul made free.
Federal, legal, and political constraints limit fare elimination; advocates say reduced/free fare cards can expand, but general fares must remain.
Mamdani estimates $700M/year, NYU Prof. Eric Goldwyn says twice as much, signaling contested fiscal arithmetic.
2 months ago