The city Council of new York intends to halve the fares on the metro for the poor. For this purpose from city budget it is planned to allocate $212 million to compensation of costs of the subway. The proposal contains in the draft budget for 2019 under «fares Fair» («fair tariffs»).
In the framework of this program, developed by the Society of utility services (Community Service Society) and the organization Riders Alliance, new Yorkers living below the poverty line and an annual income of $24 339 per family of four, have the right to purchase MetroCards at the lowest price. According to financiers of the city Council, the «fair rates» can help 800 thousand residents to save about $700 a year to pay for the subway fare.
The new York mayor De Blasio is opposed to this initiative and proposes to spend more than $200 million for other purposes. He is confident that the project of subsidizing poor people of the city will be unsustainable.
About 28% of poor new Yorkers said they or their families have difficulties with paying the subway fare ($2,75 per trip and $121 for a monthly pass). In the report, Companies in the utilities stated that such difficulties can cause serious obstacles for many people.
Note that the head of the MTA Joe Lhota said about the inevitability of rising fares on the subway in 2019. In this regard the deputies will do everything possible to accelerate the funding of concessionary fares for MetroCard.
