Dear Editor:
It’s been well publicized that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey recently proposed raising PATH fares from $1.75 per trip to $2.75, and tolls on the Hudson River crossings from $8.00 to $12.00.
I find these increases puzzling for two reasons. First, why does the Port Authority need to burden New Jersey residents with these drastic increases during such poor economic times in our state? Second, why are transit riders bearing such a significant portion of the increase, when they opt for an environmentally friendly and efficient commute?
In New Jersey, unemployment stood at 9.5 percent in June 2011, a still alarmingly high level, and one that stands higher than in June 2010. Meanwhile, unemployment rates in both New York State and New York City have decreased since June of last year. In the midst of these lingering hard times in New Jersey, why would the Port Authority choose to burden New Jersey and Hoboken workers with a costlier commute than many of their New York counterparts? If the Port Authority needs additional funding for capital improvements, shouldn’t this funding also come from sources beyond New Jersey residents, particularly if these capital improvements will benefit residents of the entire New York metropolitan area?
Furthermore, our nation is grappling with daunting environmental issues. In an era of global warming and energy cost and dependency concerns in the U.S., why are we not doing everything we can to encourage mass transit commuting? I’ve been told that PATH train service, unlike the Hudson River bridges and tunnels, is not monetarily self-sufficient. However, don’t cars entering Manhattan burden our area’s infrastructure well beyond maintaining the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels and the G.W. Bridge? Certainly transit rider shoe leather ambling across NYC sidewalks is less burdensome on Manhattan’s infrastructure than cars traversing its roadways. Why not limit these Port Authority increases to car tolls, and reward mass transit commuters for their environmentally sound commuting choices.
The City of Hoboken has undergone a multi-decade renaissance spurred in large part by the presence of the PATH trains within our city, and the efficient commuting option these trains offer New York City workers. We are now 50,000 residents strong. This is why I urged Port Authority representatives to limit or eliminate increases to PATH fares at a hearing on the matter this past Tuesday. The new, young residents who have spurred tremendous growth in Hoboken and throughout Hudson County should not perceive Brooklyn or Queens as a more cost-efficient place to live. Raise PATH rates and I fear that many potential residents will opt for outer borough residency and ignore the otherwise attractive lifestyle we offer here in the area often referred to has New York City’s “sixth borough.”
Governor Christie and the Port Authority, you should do away with these PATH fare increases immediately. Hoboken is relying on you to do so. Please don’t let us down.
Sincerely,
David Mello
Councilman at-Large
The City of Hoboken