Metadish, Fresh from NYC

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As the old saying goes, it’s better to give than to receive.  Well the MTA has decided to give away some of it’s $928 million surplus to straphangers riding over the holidays.  Every weekend from Thanksgiving to New Years fares will be $1 on all subways and buses.  The fare is also good for the entire last week of December.   Should be perfect for everyone who likes to be inconvenienced by waiting around for weekend trains that run unpredictable routes and are usually slowed to a crawl by weekend construction.  Happy holidays!

Of course not everyone is buying into the generosity of the MTA:

Ms. Ferreras, who lives in Queens, noted that the City Council’s recent
votes to abolish metered parking on Sundays made it cheaper to drive
into Manhattan for holiday shopping. "All we ever hear is how much we
have to pay and how the service isn’t great," she said. "This is almost
like putting nice frosting on a bad cake."

Can someone please explain to me what the fuck is going on at the MTA?  Does anyone remember two years ago when the MTA raised the fares to $2?

In 2001, the MTA reported a $78 million cash surplus. Less than two years later, the MTA said it faced a $952 million deficit and would be forced to raise fares.

So they jack the fares up to $2 and two years later they suddenly have a $928 million surplus?  That’s a shift of almost $2 billion in two years.  Now they’re slashing fares for the holidays?  I know I’m partially retarded when it comes to statistics, but can someone please explain this to me?

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