New York – Council Member Bill de Blasio is speaking out today against the MTA proposal to cut vital bus and subway service in Brooklyn.  The MTA’s current plan includes removing a bus line that is the main source of transportation, to and from school, for over 1,000 children. De Blasio has been recruiting commuters directly from affected bus lines and is collecting video testimonials at the hearing itself to mobilize the community against the MTA’s proposal.

“Every year it seems like the MTA is charging commuters more and delivering less,” said Bill de Blasio.  “These are literally hundreds of children who will now be forced to walk 20 or 30 blocks just to get to school each day.  I call on New York State to revive consideration of a commuter tax so that financial burdens of the MTA are not forced solely on New York City commuters.”

According to the Community Education Council for District 20, students at least four schools will be drastically affected by the removal by B23 bus route.  IS62 Ditmas Junior High School has 781 students and Shallow Junior High School has approximately 749 students who ride the bus to school.  IS227 Shallow Junior High School and PS179 Kensington Elementary will also be seriously affected.

In preparation for the hearing, De Blasio’s volunteers rode throughout Tuesday on the B23, B37, and B75, all of which face elimination under
the MTA’s plan.  De Blasio’s volunteers encouraged riders to attend the MTA hearing on Wednesday and collected email addresses of interested riders.

In addition, de Blasio’s office collected video testimonials from affected commuters at the MTA hearing which will be posted online and emailed to MTA officials in protest of the current proposal.  Finally, de Blasio’s office collected several petitions with hundreds of signatures, which were submitted to the MTA.

(YWN Desk – NYC)