♪♪

>> FUNDING FOR THE

"LONG ISLAND BUSINESS REPORT"

HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY...

THE RAUCH FOUNDATION

AND BY THE JPB FOUNDATION

AND THE FORD FOUNDATION.

>> HELLO,

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

I'M JIM PAYMAR WITH THE

"LONG ISLAND BUSINESS REPORT."

IT'S ESTIMATED

THAT NEARLY 3 MILLION RESIDENTS

OF NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES

MAKE 7 MILLION TRIPS PER DAY,

MOSTLY BY PRIVATE CAR.

BUT THOSE WHO CAN'T AFFORD A CAR

ARE OFTEN FORCED TO RELY

ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

BUT THE BUS SYSTEMS ON

LONG ISLAND HAVE BEEN CUTTING

SERVICE AND MAY BE CONSIDERING

EVEN MORE CUTBACKS.

AS A PART OF OUR ONGOING

REPORTING INITIATIVE,

"CHASING THE DREAM: POVERTY

AND OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA,"

WE'RE DISCUSSING THE IMPACT

THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

HAS ON THE WORKING POOR.

JOINING ME TO DISCUSS THIS IS

DR. RICHARD KOUBEK,

COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR

FOR THE LONG ISLAND

JOBS WITH JUSTICE AND CHAIR OF

THE WELFARE TO WORK COMMISSION

OF THE SUFFOLK COUNTY

LEGISLATURE,

AND AARON WATKINS-LOPEZ,

CAMPAIGN ORGANIZER OF THE

LONG ISLAND BUS RIDERS' UNION.

AARON, DICK, THANK YOU SO MUCH

FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> DICK, FIRST OF ALL,

GIVE US AN OVERVIEW

OF LONG ISLAND'S BUS SYSTEM.

DOES IT WORK?

DOES IT SERVE THE COMMUNITY?

>> IT WORKS, UH, IN THAT THE

BUSES MOVE.

UH, IT DOESN'T SERVE THE

COMMUNITY AS WELL AS IT SHOULD.

UH, AND, IN PARTICULAR,

IT DOESN'T SERVE THE, UH,

COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU HAVE

IMPACT OF POVERTY.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE CONCERN

OF JOBS WITH JUSTICE,

THE CONCERN OF THE

WELFARE TO WORK COMMISSION IS,

UH, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER

OF WORKING POOR PEOPLE

ON LONG ISLAND, A SIGNIFICANT

NUMBER.

UH, WE HAVE 300,000 PEOPLE WHO

USE FOOD PANTRIES EVERY YEAR.

AND THIS IS IN ONE

OF THE 10 MOST AFFLUENT SUBURBS

IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO, HOW DO THESE FOLKS

GET TO WORK?

HOW DO THEY GET TO SHOP?

HOW DO THEY GET TO RELIGIOUS

SERVICES?

HOW DO THEY GET ANYWHERE?

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

>> HOW DIFFICULT IS THE PROCESS

OF JUST GETTING AROUND

FROM POINT "A" TO POINT "B"?

THE BUS SYSTEM IS -- IS KIND OF

ERRATIC IN TERMS OF WHERE THE

ROUTES RUN.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE TO GO

SHOPPING,

IF YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE MALL,

IF YOU HAVE TO GET TO WORK,

DOES THE SERVICE EXIST,

AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE

THE AVERAGE COMMUTER,

BUS COMMUTER, TO GET AROUND?

>> I'M GONNA MAKE AN ADMISSION.

I DON'T USE THE SYSTEM.

I'M ONE OF THE 7 MILLION RIDES

A DAY.

>> YEAH.

>> AND -- AND SO, YOU KNOW,

MY -- MY -- FROM MY PERSPECTIVE,

WE'VE BEEN LOOKING

AT THE STRUGGLES OF WORKING

POOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO MAKE

KIND OF SOPHIE'S CHOICES...

>> MM-HMM.

>> ...ABOUT WHERE DO THEY SPEND

THEIR MONEY.

YOU KNOW, WHEN IT TAKES $75,000

A YEAR, AS WE FOUND -- UH, THE

COMMISSION FOUND, WHEN WE DID

OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS ON POVERTY

AND RELEASED OUR REPORT, $75,000

A YEAR FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR

TO PAY BASIC EXPENSES.

SO, IF YOU'RE EARNING UNDER

THAT, AND WE HAVE

ALMOST 600,000 PEOPLE JUST

IN SUFFOLK EARNING UNDER THAT,

HOW DO YOU GET FROM "A" TO "B"?

HOW DO YOU PAY FOR THE CHILD

CARE?

HOW DO YOU PAY FOR THE RENT?

THESE ARE THE FOLKS, BY THE WAY,

WHO MAKE THESE AWFUL CHOICES

AND GO INTO FOOD PANTRIES

BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO PAY THE BUS

FARE, THEY HAVE TO PAY THE

CHILD-CARE PROVIDER,

AND THEY HAVE TO PAY THE RENT.

SO -- SO I THINK AARON

IS REALLY BETTER POSITIONED

TO TALK ABOUT THE -- THE --

THE PROBLEMS THAT THESE FOLKS

HAVE GETTING FROM "A" TO "B"

ON THE PUBLIC SYSTEM.

>> AARON, THE LONG ISLAND

BUS RIDERS' UNION IS NOT A

UNION, PER SE.

>> NO, IT'S A COLLECTIVE OF

TRANSIT ADVOCATES, BUS RIDERS,

UM, SMART-GROWTH ADVOCATES,

SAFER STREETS ADVOCATES,

ALL THAT UNDERSTAND -- YOU KNOW,

BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ALL

UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE

OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION,

ESPECIALLY ON LONG ISLAND,

AND HOW, WITHOUT PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION, WE'RE NOT

GONNA SEE ANY ECONOMIC GROWTH.

WE'RE NOT GONNA SEE JOB

SECURITY.

AND WE'RE NOT GONNA REALLY SEE

PUBLIC HEALTH BEING AS GOOD

AS IT CAN BE.

>> HOW DOES IT IMPACT GROWTH?

HOW DOES POVERTY IMPACT GROWTH

AND THE -- AND THE COST

TO GET AROUND TO GO TO WORK,

TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS,

GET THEM TO CHILD CARE,

TO DO YOU SHOPPING.

HOW MUCH OF AN EXTRA

BURDEN DOES THIS PLACE

ON IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE?

>> WELL, I MEAN, AS A BUS RIDER,

UM, I RIDE BOTH NASSAU

AND SUFFOLK COUNTY BUSES.

MOST OF YOUR DAY IS SPENT EITHER

WAITING FOR A BUS AT A BUS STOP

THAT IS NOT SHELTERED, USUALLY

YOU'RE STANDING ON A CORNER,

OR YOU'RE TRAVELING, YOU KNOW,

ON A BUS WHERE YOU COULD BE

SHOVED UP AGAINST 40 OTHER,

50 OTHER PEOPLE.

UM, THE BIGGEST --

WHAT WE'RE SEEING AS THE IMPACT

IS THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO,

UM -- PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE

TO ACCESS PUBLIC SERVICES.

THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS

GOOD FOOD SOURCES, GOOD SHOPS.

WE'VE HEARD STORIES OF PEOPLE

LOSING THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THEY'D

HAVE TO WALK 8 MILES, 9 MILES

FROM THE BUS STOP TO THEIR JOB.

UM, THAT'S -- AND THAT'S

SOMETHING WE SEE IN

SUFFOLK COUNTY A LOT BECAUSE

THERE IS A WHOLE SEGMENT OR

PORTION OF SUFFOLK COUNTY,

RATHER, THAT IS ALMOST THE SIZE

OF NASSAU THAT HAS NO SERVICE.

>> RIGHT.

>> THE BIGGEST ISSUE

THAT WE'RE FACING ON LONG ISLAND

IS, THOUGH, IN THE AREAS WHERE

THE BUSES RUN, THEY DO RUN.

THEY RUN VERY WELL.

>> MM-HMM.

>> BUT IN THE AREAS WHERE

THEY'RE NOT THERE OR THERE ARE

SCARCE SERVICES, PEOPLE

ARE LEFT STRANDED, MORE OR LESS.

>> AND -- AND SPEAKING OF

SERVICES, DICK, WE'VE ALREADY

SEEN MAJOR CUTBACKS IN

NASSAU COUNTY.

AND FURTHER CUTS

MIGHT BE COMING IN NASSAU.

THEY MAY BE COMING IN SUFFOLK.

UH, BUDGETS ARE VERY DIFFICULT.

SO, THIS IS

GONNA PUT EVEN MORE PRESSURE

ON PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET AROUND.

WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW.

I -- I -- I MEAN, I WAS STUNNED

TO LEARN -- AND I SHOULD HAVE

KNOWN THIS, UH, AS SOMEONE WHO

CARES ABOUT WORKING POOR PEOPLE.

I DID NOT KNOW, UNTIL ABOUT 5

YEARS AGO, THAT SUFFOLK COUNTY

HAD NO SUNDAY SERVICE.

NOW, THINK OF THAT IN TERMS

OF SOMEONE WHO IS

A HOME HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER

AND HAS TO TAKE A TAXI,

WHICH COULD COST $15 TO $20

FOR A SHORT RIDE.

THINK OF THE PERSON

WHO HAS TO GET

TO A MALL JOB ON A SUNDAY

WHO DOESN'T DRIVE, YOU KNOW,

WHO'S ONE OF THOSE FOLKS EARNING

UNDER $40,000 A YEAR, LET'S SAY,

WHO CAN'T AFFORD A CAR.

SO -- SO THESE --

TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION,

THESE ISSUES

AFFECT ECONOMIC GROWTH.

WE NEED -- WE NEED PEOPLE

TO WORK ON SUNDAYS.

WE NEED PEOPLE, UNFORTUNATELY,

WITH LOW-WAGE JOBS

TO DO THE WORK THAT,

VERY OFTEN, WE DON'T WANT TO DO.

BUT WE NEED THEM.

>> MM-HMM.

>> AND IF THEY CAN'T GET TO

WHERE THEY BELONG, IF THEY CAN'T

GET TO EARN THE MONEY

THAT IS PUMPED INTO THE ECONOMY,

THIS IS REALLY SERIOUS.

SO, UH, WE FOUGHT --

JOBS WITH JUSTICE AND THE

COMMISSION -- WE FOUGHT AND GOT

SUNDAY SERVICE, 13 LINES OUT OF

50.

SO, ALL THOSE OTHER LINES...

>> MM-HMM.

>> ...DON'T HAVE SUNDAY SERVICE.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WE DIDN'T HAVE SERVICE

AFTER 8:00 IN THE EVENING.

SO IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY IN A -- IN

A RETAIL BUSINESS, YOU KNOW,

WORKING IN A SHOP AND

YOU'RE WORKING UNTIL 9:00 OR

10:00, HOW DO YOU GET HOME?

>> MM-HMM.

>> THESE ARE FUNDAMENTAL

QUESTIONS FOR PEOPLE PROVIDING

IMPORTANT SERVICES TO THE

ECONOMY.

>> AARON, GIVE ME A SENSE

OF HOW MUCH IT COSTS

TO TAKE THE BUS THESE DAYS.

UH, AND CAN YOU GET TO POINT "A"

TO POINT "B"?

AND DO YOU HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER

FEE TO TRANSFER?

I DON'T TAKE THE BUS, EITHER.

>> I MEAN, SO IN -- IN

NASSAU COUNTY RIGHT NOW,

WHERE FARES ARE ABOUT $2.75 --

THEY JUST WENT UP AT THE START

OF THE YEAR -- SINCE THE

TAKEOVER OF LONG ISLAND BUS FROM

THE MTA TO TRANSDEV, WHICH IS

NOW THE COMPANY THAT OPERATES

THE BUS, WE'VE SEEN FIVE FARE

INCREASES.

A FARE INCREASE COSTS A BUS

RIDER ABOUT $131 A YEAR.

>> MM-HMM.

>> AND THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT

CAN'T AFFORD IT.

I'VE MET BUS RIDERS WHO HAVE

TOLD ME, LIKE, "YOU KNOW, THIS

WEEK, I'M NOT EATING LUNCH

BECAUSE I HAVE TO MAKE SURE

I GET TO WORK SO I CAN KEEP,

YOU KNOW, WORKING."

UM, IN SUFFOLK, IT'S --

IT'S A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER.

IT'S $2.50.

YOU KNOW, IF -- IF YOU'RE LUCKY

AND YOU JUST HAVE TO GO THE TOWN

OVER, YOU JUST HAVE TO GO MAYBE

TWO TOWNS OVER, IT'LL COST YOU

THAT ONE FARE WITH THE TRANSFER.

UM, IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU

LIVE -- LET'S SAY YOU LIVE ON

THE EAST END.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN RIVERHEAD,

PEOPLE IN GREENPORT AND,

YOU KNOW, EAST HAMPTON,

SOME OF THEIR, UH, THEIR RIDES

COULD BE $5 BECAUSE

THEY'VE GOT TO TRANSFER.

THEY GO TO RIVERHEAD AND THEY

TRANSFER ANOTHER -- YOU KNOW,

FOR ANOTHER BUS.

AND THEN THEY TRAVEL AN HOUR

WEST.

>> RIGHT.

>> IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE

IN THE ISLAND.

IF, YOU KNOW -- IF YOU LIVE

WHERE WE LIVE ON THE SOUTH SHORE

IN NASSAU, YOU KNOW, LYNBROOK,

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, IT'S GONNA

TAKE YOU 5, 10 MINUTES TO GET

DOWN MERRICK ROAD ON THE N4.

BUT IF YOU'RE FARTHER EAST,

IT COULD BE HOURS.

UM, I MET -- JUST RECENTLY,

EVEN, I MET A WOMAN.

SHE WAS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT.

LIKE, SHE WAS ABOUT TO HAVE THIS

BABY.

AND SHE SAID THAT THE DAY

BEFORE, SHE HAD WAITED TWO HOURS

OUT ON A BUS STOP

WHERE THERE WAS NO SEAT

AND SHE HAD TO ALTERNATE BETWEEN

STANDING UP AND SITTING ON THE

CURB.

SO THIS IS -- THIS IS WHAT WE'RE

DOING TO THE BUS RIDERS.

>> AND -- AND THE SYSTEMS,

BOTH IN NASSAU

AND SUFFOLK COUNTY, ARE --

ARE HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED, CORRECT?

>> YES.

>> AND BOTH OF THESE GOVERNMENTS

ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE

THEIR BUDGETS MEET.

UH, AND SO THEY KEEP PUTTING

DOWNWARD PRESSURE

ON THE BUS SYSTEMS.

HOW CAN WE TURN THAT AROUND?

>> UH, THAT'S -- THAT'S REALLY

OUR MISSION RIGHT NOW.

UH, IN SUFFOLK COUNTY, THE

COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS BEEN ASKING

FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 4 YEARS

FOR $10 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL

OPERATING FUNDS.

AND HE HASN'T GOT IT.

>> MM-HMM.

>> HE HASN'T GOTTEN THOSE FUNDS.

SO, WHAT HE DID THIS YEAR

WAS HE JUST CUT $10 MILLION

OUT OF COUNTY FUNDS.

AND HE'S BASICALLY

SAYING TO THE STATE,

"I'VE ASKED, I'VE ASKED,

I'VE ASKED.

YOU HAVEN'T PROVIDED.

WE'RE IN A SEVERE DEFICIT

BECAUSE OF A DROP IN SALES TAX

REVENUES, ENORMOUS DROP IN BOTH

COUNTIES.

WE CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE.

SO, YOU'VE GOT TO COME UP AND DO

YOUR PIECE FOR THE BUS RIDERS

OF SUFFOLK COUNTY."

IF HE DOESN'T GET THE

$10 MILLION -- WE'LL KNOW IN

APRIL -- IF THE BUDGET'S ADOPTED

IN APRIL, WE'LL KNOW.

IF HE DOESN'T,

WE'RE GONNA LOSE 10 MORE LINES.

>> WHAT ABOUT ALBANY?

CAN ALBANY HELP?

CAN WASHINGTON HELP?

>> SO, YES.

AND -- AND THE ISSUE THAT

WE'RE SEEING IN -- I'M GONNA

SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE

ABOUT NASSAU COUNTY RIGHT NOW.

THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE SEEING IS

THAT OUR -- OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

IS NOT ADVOCATING ON BEHALF

OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS, YOU KNOW,

WE HAVE A COUNTY EXECUTIVE

IN NASSAU WHO HAS --

WHO DID NOT START THE DEFUNDING

OF THE BUSES, BUT HE DEFINITELY

CONTINUED.

AND IT WAS UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP

THAT THEY PRIVATIZED.

UM, THE BIGGEST ISSUE RIGHT NOW

IS THIS PRIVATE COMPANY

IS PUTTING THEIR PROFITS

OVER THE NEEDS OF BUS RIDERS.

YOU KNOW, THERE -- THIS YEAR,

THERE'S A $7.5 MILLION DEFICIT

IN NICE BUS.

BUT THE COMPANY HAS WALKED AWAY

WITH THEIR HIGHEST PROFITS YET.

UM, AND WHEN TALKING TO ALBANY,

THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS, ASIDE

FROM THE FACT THAT OUR LOCAL

LEGISLATORS ARE NOT ADVOCATING

ON BEHALF OF OUR NEEDS,

OUR STATE SENATORS DON'T REALLY

SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR

IT.

I-I CAN TELL YOU, I HAD A

SENATOR LOOK ME STRAIGHT IN THE

FACE AND SAID HE DIDN'T

UNDERSTAND WHY LONG ISLAND

NEEDED MORE MONEY.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WHAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE

KIND OF GLOSS OVER IS

THE FACT THAT WE FEED THE MTA.

NASSAU COUNTY USES METRO CARDS.

WE -- WITHOUT THE BUSES, THERE

IS NO NORTH-TO-SOUTH CONNECTION.

PEOPLE CAN'T GET TO

LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD IF THEY

DON'T LIVE IN THAT TOWN WITH A

RAIL ROAD STOP.

SO WE -- WE'RE -- WE'RE SEEING

THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THE

MONEY.

THE MTA IS GETTING THE MONEY.

BUT WE'RE GIVING THEM OUR MONEY.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED NICE.

THAT'S THE

NASSAU INTER-COUNTY EXPRESS.

>> YES.

>> CORRECT?

OKAY.

AND THIS COMPANY BASICALLY IS A

SUBSIDIARY OF A LARGER

TRANSPORTATION COMPANY, CORRECT?

>> UM, YES.

>> AND -- AND IT'S FOR-PROFIT.

SO, IF THEY'RE NOT MAKING

A PROFIT, THEY GO BACK

TO MINEOLA IN NASSAU COUNTY

AND SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, "WE GOT

TO EITHER RAISE FARES AGAIN,"

WHICH ARE GONNA HURT THE PEOPLE

WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY, UH,

"OR CUT BACK SERVICE."

>> YES.

>> OR BOTH. OR BOTH.

>> UM, YEAH.

AND -- AND RIGHT NOW, THIS IS

WHERE WE'RE AT.

WE'RE AT THE PRECIPICE OF

A 10-ROUTE CUT IN NASSAU COUNTY.

TWO ROUTES ARE BEING SHORTENED.

THE WORST PART IS THESE ARE

THE ROUTES THAT GET PEOPLE TO

SUFFOLK.

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO, WE'RE -- WE'RE TRAPPING

NASSAU COUNTY RESIDENTS WITHIN

NASSAU COUNTY AND FORCING THEM

TO EITHER LEARN HOW TO DRIVE OR

TAKE THE TRAIN.

>> BUT, DICK, ISN'T THIS GOING

TO PUT EVEN MORE PRESSURE

AND HURT PEOPLE

WHO LIVE IN POVERTY?

I MEAN, THEY'RE ALREADY SPENDING

A-A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT

OF THEIR INCOME

JUST TO GET AROUND.

AND THIS IS GONNA FURTHER IMPACT

THEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

UH, AS I SAID EARLIER, JIM, I-I

DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GET BY NOW.

>> MM-HMM.

>> I MEAN, I DO KNOW HOW IN

CERTAIN WAYS.

UH, YOU KNOW, 300,000 GO TO FOOD

PANTRIES.

THAT'S A SHOCKING NUMBER.

THAT'S 10% OF OUR POPULATION.

UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE

GOING TO, UM -- IF YOU'RE ON ONE

OF THE 10 LINES THAT COULD BE

CUT IN SUFFOLK COUNTY, WHAT ARE

YOU GONNA DO?

>> MM-HMM.

>> I MEAN, YOU CAN'T -- YOU

CAN'T AFFORD THE TAXIS.

>> RIGHT.

>> WE WERE TALKING EARLIER.

WE -- WE MAY BRING UBER OUT,

YOU KNOW, LEGALLY, INTO NASSAU

AND SUFFOLK COUNTY.

THAT'S NOT GONNA DO IT, EITHER.

YOU NEED A GOOD, EFFICIENT

SUPPORT SYSTEM OF A BUS SYSTEM

THAT WORKS AND GETS PEOPLE

FROM HERE TO THERE AND IS

AFFORDABLE.

>> ARE THESE BUS SYSTEMS

CAPABLE OF IMPROVING SERVICE

BY MODIFYING THE KINDS OF

SYSTEMS THAT THEY HAVE IN PLACE

NOW?

WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT

THESE MASSIVE, HUGE BUSES THAT

RUN THROUGH RESIDENTIAL AREAS

THAT HAVE 5 TO 10 PEOPLE

ON THEM THAT COULD, YOU KNOW,

THEY COULD, UH, FILL 50 SEATS

IF -- IF THERE WAS MORE PEOPLE

USING THE BUS.

UH, CAN WE -- CAN WE SHRINK THE

BUSES?

CAN WE CHANGE THE WAY

THAT WE OPERATE?

>> YES.

I MEAN, THERE'S NO REASON --

AND WE'RE SEEING IT RIGHT NOW IN

SUFFOLK AS A WAY -- AS A

PREEMPTIVE STRIKE AGAINST THE

$10 MILLION CUT.

THEY'VE STARTED USING THE

SHORTER BUSES ON THE

LOW-RIDERSHIP ROUTES.

I DON'T LIKE USING THAT TERM

BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER IF

THERE'S ONE PERSON ON THAT BUS,

10 PEOPLE OR 20 PEOPLE.

THE PEOPLE ON THAT BUS NEED IT.

IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT A LUXURY.

IT'S NOT FOR FUN.

THEY'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WITHOUT

THAT BUS, THEY CAN'T LIVE THEIR

LIVES.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE -- WE,

YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO

THE BUS COMPANIES ABOUT OTHER

WAYS THAT THEY COULD BE DOING

THIS.

UM, SHORTENING THE BUSES

IS DEFINITELY ONE.

WE'VE -- WE'VE SEEN IN 2015

WAS THE HIGHEST AMOUNT

OF BREAKDOWNS IN NASSAU COUNTY.

AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE BIG

ENGINES COSTS $100,000.

SO, I MEAN, THERE'S -- THERE'S A

LOT OF INEFFICIENCY GOING ON

WITHIN THE SYSTEMS.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST

ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN BOTH

NASSAU AND SUFFOLK IS WE ARE

COVERING THE LARGEST

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF

A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

IN THE COUNTRY.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WE ARE RUNNING OFF OF A MODEL

THAT WAS BASED FOR A CITY.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WE ARE RUNNING OFF OF A VERY

SIMILAR MODEL THAT THE MTA HAS

IN THE CITY.

IT'S NEVER GONNA WORK ON

LONG ISLAND.

WE ARE TOO BIG -- YOU KNOW,

100 MILES, AS WE WERE TALKING

BEFORE.

THERE NEEDS TO BE, IN MY

OPINION, A CARP-- A CARP--

UGH, GOODNESS. I CAN'T SPEAK.

BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE NEEDS

TO BE A KIND OF DIVVYING UP OF

THE SYSTEM THAT MAYBE, ON A MORE

MUNICIPALITY LEVEL, CAN BE RUN.

AND WE'VE SEEN IT.

LONG BEACH HAS THEIR OWN BUS

SYSTEM.

HUNTINGTON HAS AN AMAZING --

THE HART SYSTEM IS PHENOMENAL.

AND JUST -- THEY WERE JUST

GIVING OUT FREE RIDES IN OCTOBER

FOR PEOPLE FOR A WEEK.

UM, NORTH HEMPSTEAD

HAS THEIR OWN BUS SYSTEM.

AND THEY RUN IT, AND THEY RUN IT

WELL.

>> WELL, HOW DO THEY PAY FOR IT,

THOUGH?

>> IT'S -- IT'S THROUGH THE

MUNICIPALITY.

THERE'S TAXES THAT THEY HAVE,

UM, THROUGH THAT.

AND I THINK THAT WHAT NEEDS

TO HAPPEN IS THAT THERE

NEEDS TO BE A GREATER LOOK ON

CAN THE COUNTY -- COUNTIES

REALLY AFFORD

TO DO IT AS A COUNTY?

SHOULD WE START THINKING ABOUT,

"ALL RIGHT, MAYBE WE NEED

TO START BREAKING THIS DOWN.

MAYBE THE EAST END

WILL TAKE CARE OF THEIR SYSTEM,

YOU KNOW.

THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND CAN DO

THAT," AND SO ON AND SO FORTH,

BECAUSE IT'S APPARENT

THAT THE LARGE-SCALE SYSTEM

IS TOO MUCH OF A BURDEN FOR

OUR...

>> I DON'T WANT TO USE THE, UH,

"T" WORD, "TAX"...

>> YEAH.

>> ...BUT -- BUT RIGHT NOW, YOU

KNOW, WE'RE PAYING, UH, VERY

LITTLE FOR GASOLINE COMPARED TO

WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST.

COULD THE COUNTIES SLAP

ON A 1/2 CENT OR 1 CENT, UH, TAX

ON -- ON GASOLINE?

>> THEY COULD DO ALL --

>> AND WOULD WE REALLY CARE?

WOULD WE EVEN KNOW?

>> YOU KNOW, UH, I-I WANT TO

SPEAK TO THAT, BECAUSE THIS CAME

UP WHEN -- WHEN THE

COMMISSION -- WHEN THE

WELFARE TO WORK COMMISSION

DID OUR POVERTY STUDY.

MY, UH -- MY PROPERTY TAXES ARE

$18,000.

OF THAT AMOUNT --

>> IT GOES TO THE SCHOOLS.

>> ...$2,000 GOES TO THE COUNTY.

AND OF THAT AMOUNT, ROUGHLY

$1,800 IS FOR THE POLICE.

SO WE'RE TALKING HUNDREDS

OF DOLLARS, ONLY HUNDREDS

OF DOLLARS.

BUT THE THOUGHT OF COMING IN

WITH A TAX INCREASE IS SO

ANATHEMA THAT SUFFOLK COUNTY

HAS NOT RAISED THE GENERAL FUND

IN 12 YEARS.

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO, YES, THERE ARE THINGS

THAT THEY COULD DO.

I-I WANTED TO ADDRESS

A DEEPER ISSUE, UH,

THAT YOU RAISED EARLIER,

JIM, ABOUT -- ABOUT WHAT DOES

THIS DO TO THE POOR.

THE DEEPER PROBLEM IS THAT THE

BUS SYSTEM SERVES PRIMARILY A

POOR POPULATION.

AND THE POOR POPULATION

IS NOT CONSIDERED A PRIORITY.

SO I ACTUALLY -- I ACTUALLY HAD

A MEETING WITH A SUFFOLK COUNTY

LEGISLATOR WHEN WE WERE TRYING

TO GET THE SUNDAY SERVICE.

AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID.

HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE

CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN

SUFFOLK COUNTY, THEY OUGHT TO

MOVE, BECAUSE WE CAN'T USE

TAX DOLLARS TO SUBSIDIZE THEM."

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO, I HAD TO GIVE HIM A

LECTURE ABOUT HOW THESE PEOPLE

WORK.

THEY DO THE WORK YOU DON'T WANT

TO DO, LIKE MOWING YOUR LAWN,

FOR EXAMPLE.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THEY HAVE TO GET TO THEIR

JOB TO MOW YOUR LAWN.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE BUS DOES.

>> MM-HMM.

>> AND THERE WAS SORT OF AN

"AHA" MOMENT, LIKE, "WELL, I

HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY."

BUT HIS THINKING, I THINK,

IS VERY WIDESPREAD IN -- IN THE

SUBURBS, WHICH IS, "WE'RE RICH.

THEY'RE NOT.

WE BELONG HERE. THEY DON'T."

>> AND THEN --

>> CAN I JUST INTERJECT,

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL THINK

THAT THIS JUST IMPACTS THE POOR,

BUT IT IMPACTS ALL OF US

IF PEOPLE CANNOT GET TO WORK

AND THEY HAVE TO RELY ON PUBLIC

ASSISTANCE IN SOME FORM.

WE END UP PAYING FOR THAT,

RIGHT?

>> IN THE LONG RUN, YOU DO.

>> SO WE'RE HURTING OURSELVES.

>> YES.

>> AND SO, HOW CAN WE GET PEOPLE

TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN

IMPACT ON ALL OF US?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE APPROACHES

WE'VE USED OVER THE YEARS

AT JOBS WITH JUSTICE AND --

AND MESSAGING WHAT WE DO

IS TO SAY, UH,

"THIS IS NOT ABOUT THEM.

THIS ABOUT YOU."

IF YOUR PARENT NEEDS A

SUNDAY HOME-HEALTH AID,

IT'S EITHER YOU GOING IN PLACE

OF THE HEALTH AID BECAUSE SHE

CAN'T GET THERE BECAUSE OF A

LACK OF A BUS OR YOU GET A BUS

SERVICE ON SUNDAY SO THAT PERSON

CAN GET TO ASSIST YOUR MOTHER OR

YOUR FATHER."

>> RIGHT.

>> IT'S THIS -- FRAME IT IN

TERMS OF THE SELF INTEREST.

"YOU'RE A SMALL-BUSINESS PERSON.

WE KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY

MORE TAXES.

BUT IF YOUR WORKERS CAN'T GET

TO THE JOB, YOU'RE STUCK."

>> OKAY.

>> SO, WE'RE FRAMING IT IN -- IN

TERMS OF THE SELF-INTEREST

OF MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE.

>> DO WE SEE ANYTHING GOING ON

IN NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTY

OR ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY,

FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD ASSIST,

UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN

SOME DEGREE OF POVERTY TO GET

AROUND?

IS THERE ANYTHING GOING ON

OUT THERE THAT IS -- THAT IS,

UH, TOP-OF-MIND, THAT --

THAT REALLY COULD CHANGE THINGS

AROUND?

ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE?

>> I -- TO BE HONEST, I SEE THE

EXACT OPPOSITE ON LONG ISLAND.

>> YEAH, I DON'T SEE IT EITHER.

>> IT'S -- IT -- AT THIS POINT,

WE'RE DEALING --

>> IT'S JUST GOING DOWNHILL?

>> AND IT'S -- IT'S CONSTANT,

"OH, WELL WE'VE --" YOU KNOW, I

THINK, IN NASSAU, A PERFECT

EXAMPLE OF THAT WAS IN 2012

WHEN THEY HAD SWITCHED OVER TO

THE PRIVATE SYSTEM, THEY WERE

SUBSIDIZING THE BUS,

$2.5 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WE HAD FOUGHT AS THE

LONG ISLAND BUS RIDERS' UNION

AND JOBS WITH JUSTICE FOR ABOUT

2 YEARS TO GET AN ADDITIONAL

$2.5 MILLION.

A MONTH LATER, AFTER THE KIND OF

FIASCO OF THE SPEED CAMS, THE

COUNTY EXEC CAME OUT AND SAID HE

WANTED TO CUT $4 MILLION FROM

THE BUS.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WHAT HAPPENS IS,

IS SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINES,

OUR -- OUR LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE

DECIDED THAT WHENEVER SOMETHING

NEEDS TO BE CUT OR THERE'S MONEY

THAT HAS BEEN LOST AND NEEDS TO

BE FILLED, THAT THEY CAN CUT THE

BUSES.

BUT THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS

CUOMO JUST CAME OUT,

AND HE WANTS TO REALLY CHANGE

LONG ISLAND.

HE'S SENDING, I THINK IT'S

$550 MILLION FOR THE THIRD RAIL

AND FOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED

DEVELOPMENT.

THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT

THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD

WILL NEVER GO NORTH TO SOUTH.

>> MM-HMM.

>> THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT

EXPANDING THE L.I.E. IS NOT

GONNA SOLVE TRAFFIC ISSUES.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHAT WILL IS PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION, IS AN INVESTMENT

IN THESE BUSES THAT GET PEOPLE

TO PLACES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE

HIGHWAYS CAN'T, THAT THE

LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD CAN'T, AND

TO REALLY BOLSTER THE GROWTH OF

OUR ISLAND.

>> YOU -- YOU MENTIONED, UH,

THE UBER-IZATION, PERHAPS,

BUT, I MEAN, IS THERE ANYTHING

COMING UP, APP-WISE, WHERE YOU

COULD GET PEOPLE TOGETHER

THROUGH SOME KIND OF APP,

SOME KIND OF CARPOOLING THAT --

THAT COULD GET THEM AROUND

AND COMPETE WITH THE BUS SYSTEM?

>> SO WE HAVE -- I KNOW IN THE

CITY, THEY'VE GOT A 511 SHARE.

IT'S -- IT'S KIND OF THAT KIND

OF THING WHERE YOU -- IT'S LIKE

AN ON-CALL KIND OF SYSTEM,

FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT ON

LONG ISLAND.

REALLY, I MEAN, THE -- THE

ALTERNATIVES, AS DICK HAS SAID

BEFORE, IS TAXIS.

AND WE'VE SEEN A MONOPOLY OF

TAXIS ACROSS THE ISLAND WHERE

THEY CAN JUST RAISE, YOU KNOW,

THE FARES AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT.

THEY CAN CHARGE WHATEVER THEY

WANT.

THEY HAVE A LOT OF POWER

ON LONG ISLAND.

UM, AND WE'RE HOPING WITH,

YOU KNOW, WITH THE UBER, IT'S --

IT'S MORE -- IT'S LESS ABOUT

HAVING UBER REPLACE THE BUSES

AND MORE ABOUT, "ALL RIGHT.

WELL, HOW CAN WE REGULATE UBER?

HOW CAN WE USE UBER TO GENERATE

A NEW FUNDING STREAM THAT MIGHT

ACTUALLY HELP THE BUS SYSTEM?"

>> BUT IF YOU HAD A VAN, LET'S

SAY, THAT HAD FIVE TO EIGHT

PEOPLE IN IT, AND YOU COULD JUST

CALL UP AND SAY, "HEY, PICK ME

UP AT 7:45.

I GOT TO BE TO WORK AT 8:30."

I MEAN, IS -- IS SOMETHING

THAT -- LIKE THAT FEASIBLE?

>> YES.

I MEAN, BUT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON,

YOU KNOW -- THERE ARE SAFETY,

THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE

ANYONE PICK UP A VAN AND ST--

I MEAN, YOU COULD DO THAT

IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE.

BUT AS A -- AS A KIND

OF SUPPLEMENT TO THE BUSES,

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY

NEEDS TO BE REGULATED AND MADE

SURE THAT IT'S A SAFE, UM,

SYSTEM FOR EVERYONE, YOU KNOW?

YOU CAN DO IT.

I KNOW THERE'S DOLLAR VANS

IN THE CITY.

THERE'S DOLLAR VANS IN

NASSAU COUNTY.

BUT THOSE ARE NOT THE MOST SAFE

MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.

AND THE LAST THING WE WANT IS

THAT KIND OF THING.

>> YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED --

YOU GO AHEAD, DICK.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE --

USING SMARTPHONES, I WOULD LIKE

TO SEE A TWITTER SYSTEM

SO WE COULD GET LONG ISLANDERS

TO TWEET THEIR LEGISLATORS

TO PROVIDE THE FUNDING WE NEED

FOR THE BUSES.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> YOU KNOW, GOVERNOR CUOMO

WAS MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO.

GRAND PLANS FOR PENN STATION,

THE THIRD TRACK,

WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED,

ALL OF THESE GREAT THINGS.

>> GOOD THINGS.

>> WE'RE TALKING

ABOUT BILLION-DOLLAR PROJECTS.

BUT THERE'S NOT A COUPLE MILLION

HERE AND THERE FOR...

>> EXACTLY.

>> ...IMPROVING THE BUS SYSTEMS?

>> I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, I-I

WAS SPEAKING TO ONE SENATOR.

AND ALL WE WERE ASKING FOR --

I MEAN, ALL, IN THE GRAND SCHEME

OF $50 MILLION -- BILLIONS OF

DOLLARS, IT WAS $19 MILLION FOR

THE -- FOR THE ISLAND --

$10 MILLION FOR SUFFOLK,

$9 MILLION FOR NASSAU, WHICH

WOULD HAVE STOPPED THE

$7.5 MILLION DEFICIT OF THIS

YEAR IN NASSAU AND WOULD HAVE

PREVENTED THE 10 CUTS THAT ARE

GONNA EVENTUALLY HAPPEN.

AND THE SENATOR SAID,

"I DON'T KNOW WHY LONG ISLAND

NEEDS THIS MONEY."

>> RIGHT.

>> IT'S A MIXTURE OF BEING

A CAR-CENTRIC ISLAND

THAT IS MADE TO, YOU KNOW,

REALLY KIND OF FEED

THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE -- ROBERT MOSES

SET UP THE ISLAND'S PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION.

CAN BARELY GO NORTH.

>> YES. YES.

>> THE WHOLE ISLAND IS VERY

BASED -- IS BASED OFF OF THAT

1960s WHITE-PICKET-FENCE IDEA

OF THE AMERICAN DREAM, WHICH IS,

YOU KNOW, FITTING.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT

WE'RE NOT THERE ANYMORE.

>> ALL THE STUDIES SHOW THAT

SUBURBS ARE GETTING POORER WHILE

CITIES ARE GETTING WEALTHIER.

>> MM-HMM.

>> MORE POVERTY EXISTS NOW IN

THE SUBURBS...

>> EXACTLY RIGHT.

>> ...IN TERMS OF GROWTH, THAN

DOES IN THE -- THE CITIES.

>> YEAH.

>> SO THE THE WHOLE PARADIGM HAS

SHIFTED.

>> WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET IT?

WHEN ARE WE GONNA UNDERSTAND

THAT?

>> SO -- SO -- BUT PEOPLE HAVE

TO GET IT.

I MEAN, IF YOU'RE RUNNING A BIG

COMPANY AND YOU HAVE TO GET

WORKERS OUT, WHETHER THEY'RE

TO CLEAN THE FLOORS OR PUT

ON A NEW ROOF OR PAINT IT

OR BE PART OF A -- YOU KNOW,

YOUR ASSEMBLY LINE, HOW ARE THEY

GONNA GET TO WORK?

>> YEP.

>> EXACTLY.

>> SO, WHAT DO WE DO?

THE TWITTER THING?

YOU PUT PRESSURE ON YOUR

LEGISLATORS?

YOU PUT, UH, PRESSURE ON THE

GOVERNOR?

YOU PUT, UH, PRESSURE ON THE

COUNTY EXECUTIVES?

>> WE ORGANIZE BUS RIDERS.

>> YEAH, SO, WE -- WE --

THE BUS RIDERS' UNION ORGANIZES

BUS RIDERS.

WE GET BUS RIDERS OUT,

AND WE SIT THEM AT THE TABLE

WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY

HAVE A VOICE AND, YOU KNOW, TALK

ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE

HAPPENING, BECAUSE A LOT OF

THESE, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS

HAVE NEVER BEEN ON A BUS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PRIDE

OURSELVES ON IS GETTING PEOPLE

TO JOIN US AND RIDING THE BUS

AND TALKING TO PEOPLE,

BECAUSE YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN A COMMUNITY

IF YOU DON'T ACTUALLY GET INTO

THAT COMMUNITY.

UM, SO, IT'S -- IT'S A LOT OF --

FOR US, IT'S PUBLIC AWARENESS.

IT'S, "YEAH, OKAY.

I UNDERSTAND YOU LIKE YOUR CAR,

AND THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S GREAT.

BUT IMAGINE IF 40 LESS CARS

WERE ON THE L.I.E. IN THE

MORNING.

THAT'S A FULL BUS."

>> THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.

AND WE COULD TALK ABOUT THIS

FOREVER.

UH, AARON, DICK, THANK YOU

SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

>> PLEASURE.

>> IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE

AND A LEARNING EXPERIENCE,

ALWAYS.

THAT WRAPS UP OUR CONVERSATION

ON TRANSPORTATION EQUITY.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE

"CHASING THE DREAM" INITIATIVE,

PLEASE VISIT

chasingthedreamproject.org.

AND FOR MORE ON THE

"LONG ISLAND BUSINESS REPORT,"

LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND US ON FACEBOOK

AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON

TWITTER.

I'M JIM PAYMAR.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR

THIS EDITION OF THE

"LONG ISLAND BUSINESS REPORT,"

AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>> FUNDING FOR THE

"LONG ISLAND BUSINESS REPORT"

HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY...

THE RAUCH FOUNDATION

AND BY THE JPB FOUNDATION

AND THE FORD FOUNDATION.

♪♪