MTA Announces No Fare Increases for 2021; Federal Funding Provides Stability through Mid-2024
MTA Press ReleaseThe Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced that Federal funding will provide the Authority with financial stability through the first half of 2024. The MTA is expected to receive $10.5 billion in Federal funding from December 2020’s Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) passed in March 2021. As a result, the Authority will not have to take immediate action on cost-cutting measures such as right-sizing of service and wage freezes. The MTA will also forgo a fare increase in 2021.
Since the February plan farebox revenues have improved, toll revenues have remained consistent with the best-case scenario, and Congress passed another Federal relief package that is expected to provide $6.5 billion in aid to the MTA. Farebox revenue, which was forecasted for the worst-case scenario in February, is now trending toward the midpoint scenario, increasing revenue by $3.7 billion through 2024. Toll revenue holding consistent to the best-case scenario, is expected to increase revenue by $799 million by 2024. Absent of recurring revenue streams to offset the postponement of fare increases, service right-sizing and wage freezes, the Authority forecasts a deficit of $605 million in 2025, even after the use of $2.9 billion of deficit bond proceeds.
“Thanks to the infusion of Federal funding provided by Congress through December’s relief package and March’s American Rescue Plan, the MTA’s finances are on much better footing,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye. “This Federal aid was made possible by extraordinary leadership from Majority Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and the bipartisan New York delegation who ensured mass transit was not forgotten in the nation’s recovery.”
Click here to expand press release.
“The $10.5 billion in expected Federal dollars gives us a bridge towards the future, which now allows us to see how ridership further recovers and avoids some of the drastic cost-saving measures we outlined in February’s plan,” said MTA Chief Financial Officer Robert Foran. “With farebox revenue trending towards the midpoint scenario and toll revenue trending towards the best-case scenario, the major challenge ahead will be addressing the structural deficits remaining in 2025.”
Not included in the financial plan is risk that some intended revenues from CRRSAA might be redirected to another state.
“We have ongoing discussions with New Jersey and Connecticut with respect to CRRSAA and American Rescue Plan funding,” Chairman Foye said. “Thanks to Senator Schumer and the New York delegation for providing an extraordinary level of Federal funding. But the stakes for the MTA in that three-state discussion are hundreds of millions of dollars, which is a material amount of funding at a time when we face substantial ongoing deficits.”
To cover the budget deficits in 2024 and 2025, the MTA was granted the authority by the 2020-2021 State Enacted Budget to borrow up to $10 billion in deficit financing through December 2022. In 2020, the MTA utilized the Federal Reserve’s Municipal Liquidity Facility (MLF), which the Federal Reserve established as a source of emergency financing for state and local governments and public entities to ensure they have access to credit during the COVID pandemic, to borrow the maximum $2.9 billion allowed. The MLF loan is due for repayment in 2023, and the MTA expects to issue long-term bonds in 2023 to repay the Federal Reserve.
During the February meeting of the MTA Board, the Board did approve a toll increase that took effect in April on its bridges and tunnels, which raised tolls rates to yield a 6% increase in revenue and preserves the resident discount programs. The Board also approved the creation of a new mid-tier toll rate for motorists who are NYCSC E-ZPass holders but are nevertheless tolled via license plate because they are not using their E-ZPass tags properly.
Westport Republican Town Committee Endorses Jen Tooker for Selectman Seat; Other Endorsements Announced
Back (L-R): Jack Whittle, Andrea Moore, Joe Sledge, Dorie Hordon; Front (L-R): Robert Harrington, Jen Tooker, Michael Keller, Karen Kleine. Contributed photo. Westport RTC Press ReleaseThe members of the Westport Republican Town Committee met last night to officially endorse Republican candidates for this November’s municipal elections. Among those receiving the unanimous endorsement of the Westport Republican Party are: Current Westport Second Selectwoman Jen Tooker for First Selectman; Westport Board of Finance Vice Chairwoman Andrea Moore for Second Selectman; Robert Harrington, Dorie Hordon and current Board of Education Vice Chair Karen Kleine for Board of Education, Michael Keller for Board of Finance; former Westport Planning and Zoning Commission member Jack Whittle for Planning and Zoning Commission; and Current Board of Assessment Appeals member Joe Sledge for re-election to the Board of Assessment Appeals.
“We are absolutely delighted with our strong slate of candidates led by our current Second Selectwoman, Jen Tooker,” noted RTC Nominating Committee Chair Jim Foster. “With principled, experienced leaders like Jen Tooker and Andrea Moore on the Board of Selectmen; Karen Kleine’s, Robert Harrington’s and Dorie Hordon’s passionate advocacy for our school community on the Board of Education, the excellent addition of Michael Keller to the Board of Finance, Jack Whittle’s unparalleled expertise on the Planning and Zoning Commission, and Joe Sledge’s knowledge and thoughtfulness on the Zoning Board of Appeals, I am convinced Westport’s future will remain bright. Our candidates understand the challenges and opportunities facing Westport, and they are the best prepared, most qualified public servants to lead us forward.”
Click Here to Expand Information About the Candidates:
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
JEN TOOKER – Candidate for First Selectman
Jennifer Tooker is the current Second Selectwoman of Westport, a position she has held since her election in 2017. She has previously served as a member of the Westport Board of Finance, the Westport Board of Education, and the Westport Conservation Commission. As Second Selectwoman, Jennifer has worked on several key initiatives. She launched Westport Together, an alliance between the Town, Westport Public Schools and local non-profits to promote the positive development of our youth. Jennifer also created and hosts Westport Means Business - a series of events that brings together local business owners and entrepreneurs to establish connections, exchange ideas and promote Westport as the best town in which to start and grow a successful business. Most recently, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, First Selectman Jim Marpe appointed Jennifer as Chair of the ReOpen Westport Advisory Team in May 2020. This team is tasked with helping Westport businesses open and operate safely during the global pandemic. Prior to her public service, Jennifer had a 22-year career as an executive with Gen Re, during which time she held various leadership and management positions in the U.S. and European reinsurance markets. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame. She is married to Mo Tooker and they have three children; Jack, Riley and Nicole.
ANDREA MOORE – Candidate for Second Selectman
Andrea Moore is the current Vice Chairwoman of the Westport Board of Finance. She was elected to the Board in 2017 and was selected by her fellow Board members as Vice Chair in 2019. She also serves on the Board of Finance’s Audit subcommittee. Prior to this, Andrea was an elected member of Westport’s Representative Town Meeting (RTM), representing District 9 and served on several key committees, including the Education, Public Protection, and the Library and Museum Committees. Andrea has had a 15+ year career in the financial services industry, holding positions in institutional equity sales, equity research and investment banking with some of the world’s leading firms, including UBS, BT Deutsche Bank and Salomon Brothers. She is also an active volunteer in the community and has served on the boards of several local non-profit organizations, including Staples Tuition Grants, the Saugatuck Elementary PTA, the Westport Weston Family YMCA, and the National Charity League, Westport Chapter. Andrea is a life long Westporter and a Staples High School graduate. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is married to Dave Moore and has three daughters; Tessa, Janna and Ella.
BOARD OF EDUCATION
KAREN KLEINE
Karen Kleine grew up in CT and has lived in Westport for over 20 years. Her three children all attended Westport Public Schools. Karen has served on the Westport Board of Education for eight years and is currently Vice Chair of the Board, Chair of the Policy Committee, a member of the Finance and Facilities Committee and holds regional BOE positions with CABE (the CT BOE) and Cooperative Educational Services, where we send some of our students who cannot learn in a traditional learning environment. In addition to the BOE, Karen is President of the Westport Women's Club and serves on the Board of the Friends of the Senior Center. Past Board positions include TEAM Westport and ABC.
ROBERT HARRINGTON
Robert Harrington has lived in Westport for more than 10 years. He is married to Claire Harrington and has four children including a Staples High School graduate and three daughters currently attending Staples. Robert has worked in finance for over 20 years in London, Geneva and New York, focusing on technology. He has been an active member of the Westport community and a vocal campaigner for protecting the Westport Public Schools budget, fully restoring Coleytown Middle School during the mold crisis, and advocating for COVID-19 vaccinations for Westport’s teachers. Born in the U.K., Robert recently became a U.S. citizen.
DORIE HORDON
Dorie Hordon has served on the Westport PTA for many years and just completed her tenure as PTA Council Co-President. She was previously President of the Bedford Middle School PTA and a member of the Executive Board at Greens Farms Elementary. She has a professional background as an educator, having taught in the lower school of the Spence School in New York for six years. She currently works as a local coordinator for Cultural Care, where she helps place and manage au pairs from foreign countries with area families. She is also an active volunteer as a member of Temple Israel. Prior to entering education, Dorie held various roles over the course of several years at JPMorgan Chase. Dorie has a Master’s in Education from Bank Street College and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the College of Wooster. She has lived in Westport for 14 years with her husband Rob and their three sons. Theo and Nate are both students at Staples, and Josh attends Greens Farms Elementary.
BOARD OF FINANCE
MICHAEL KELLER
Mike Keller is a partner with the Boston based law firm of Morrison Mahoney LLP and leads their Bridgeport office with a focus on civil litigation defense. Mike attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for his undergraduate degree in political science before continuing directly to law school on a full academic scholarship at Widener University School of Law in Delaware. After law school, he and his now wife, Courtney, lived in Philadelphia and then Boston, but traveled to Westport often to visit family and fell in love with the town. In 2015, they moved to Westport to start a family of their own. Their oldest son is a rising third grader at Coleytown Elementary School, and his younger brother is starting kindergarten at CES in the fall.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
JACK WHITTLE
Jack Whittle grew up in Westport attending Westport schools, and after graduating Staples High School in 1981, he went on college at the University of Colorado (BA in Political Science, 1985) and then law school at Syracuse University (JD, 1988). He began his career in law as a litigator at the Wilson Elser law firm in New York City and continued to practice in that area at Mudge Rose before shifting focus to M&A and regulatory work in the insurance area at the New York City offices of LeBoeuf Lamb. Since 2009, Jack has worked at Odyssey Re in Stamford, CT where he is Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel. Jack and his wife Corrine have raised their family in Westport, with the last of their children graduating from Staples in 2021. Jack previously served on the Planning & Zoning Commission for five years, being elected in 2011 along with Chip Stephens, Cathy Walsh and Al Gratrix and then reelected in 2015.
BOARD OF ASSESSMENT APPEALS
JOE SLEDGE
Joseph Sledge is currently the Chair of the Westport Republican Town Committee, a position he has held since 2019. Joe currently serves our community as a member of the Board of Assessment Appeals; has served on the Westport Historic District Commission; and as a Director of the Westport Transit District. Joe worked in investment management business for 42 years and retired as a partner of an investment advisor and principal investor of a national real estate investment management firm. He and his spouse, Darcy, have resided in Westport for over 30 years and have two children, Kyle and Christopher, both of whom attended Westport Public Schools. Joe has served as a director of The Community Preservation Corporation, The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., The Urban Land Institute, and the Mortgage Bankers Association of America. Joe received his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy and MBA from the University of Houston.
Westport COVID-19 Cases Up 5; No Deaths; State Positivity Rate 1.95%
The Westport-Weston Health District reports that Westport’s COVID-19 cases were up 5 today. The State’s daily test positivity rate was 1.95%
Westport total positive or probable cases: 1,818 cases.
Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 31 deaths.
State Daily Test Positivity: 1.95%
Northbound Traffic Stopped on I-95
Traffic heading Northbound on I-95 was stopped this evening around 6:00. No major incidents have been reported by the DoT. Local streets are feeling the effects of the traffic, with many roads now slowing to a stop as many avoid the interstate.
Traffic on Riverside Avenue slowed to a stop Wednesday evening.