Broken promises

Joseph Lhota, MTA chairman pledge is the top down reorganization of the MTA that will not get in the way of serving New Yorkers in their reliance for a premier mass transportation. It is obvious now that it was just empty rhetoric. It is now clear he wants to fulfill his pledge “Throughout my career in both the public and private sectors, I have initiated reforms that are performance-based and that cut costs, and I look forward to bringing this same approach to the MTA,” Lhota said in a statement from the governor’s office. 

Joseph Lhota MTA chairman is obviously not thinking of New Yorkers and how they worry about getting to work. In addition how New Yorkers seek an improved way to get to work. Over one hundred days have passed and isn’t an old truth being confirmed? That goes to show that you can’t trust Joseph Lhota.

Instead of seeking ways to improve how to get around the Empire State and New York City being committed to ease that burden on New Yorkers - what does Joseph Lhota do? Nothing - instead of seeking for ways to eliminate the wasteful spending of MTA? He does nothing. Or reforming the MTA? He does nothing. Does he reorganize the bureaucracy in the MTA? No - he does nothing. Does he cut or abolish the bureaucracy? No - he does nothing.

Just imagine if the bureaucracy is cut down to 50% how much money will be saved.  How many presidents are there? All have yearly new SUV’s, what else are they taking New Yorkers for a ride? What is the ratio of white collar versus blue collar. At least the Department of Education uses a ratio of 45 students per teacher however in the MTA the ratio is the opposite more white collar than blue collar.

Now imagine if that saved money would be used to maintain the buses, trains, tunnels and bridges. What are the numbers of new SUV’s bought since he became the MTA chairman - are they to chauffeur the white collar? Our wild guess is the numbers of new vehicles for management purchased is over one hundred which is more than the days he was in office - we congratulate him.

Instead of purchasing new equipment that will serve the people of New York he bought new equipment for the white collar. It is obvious there is no commitment to cut wasteful spending.

He is breaking his promises, probably he would not admit it. All he wants to do is pick a fight with TWU Local 100 members by offering a lousy no raise contract. We suggest he look at the bigger picture - TWU Local 100 did not cause any mismanagment or wasteful spending at the MTA. Joseph Lhota must demonstrate what cuts against white collar he has implemented since he took office. We predict he has not made one single cut against the white collar or even dig the MTA out of the pit that was created by the white collar.

The truth is he began the new year with promises in making it easier for New Yorkers to get to work - broken, the promise to eliminate white collar wasteful spending - broken, the promise to purchase new equipment for New Yorkers - broken, the promise to reduce the number of white collar by 50% - broken. Shouldn’t his new year resolution for 2013 be to better keep the promises he made for 2012. 

It is obvious Joseph Lhota MTA chairman started a year dithering and has no answers to ease New Yorkers on how to get to work and back. He has ended the year with no answers of reducing the ratio of white collar.