Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Federal Funding

Rangel: House GOP Has No Idea Where Transit Funding Would Come From

4:29 PM EST on February 6, 2012

Today at Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, four members of New York's congressional delegation joined the head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in decrying House GOP efforts to drastically alter how the federal government supports transit in cities.

Reps. Joe Crowley, Charlie Rangel, Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney joined MTA chief Joe Lhota to decry the House Republicans' attempt to end dedicated federal funding for transit. Photo: ##http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/02/06/nyc-congress-members-mta-chief-repudiate-house-gop-attack-on-transit/##Noah Kazis##

Under the House's plan, instead of receiving a roughly 20 percent cut of the federal gas tax, transit would receive a one-time transfer from the general fund. In theory, at least. In practice, there would be no guarantees that transit would receive any funding.

Noah Kazis, from our sister blog in New York, has more from today's presser:

Charlie Rangel, former chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, which passed the anti-transit provision, said he asked influential House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan where the money to pay for transit would come from in the general fund. “The answer was they did not know at that time,” said Rangel.

Other new rules that the speakers found objectionable would no longer require states to set aside an extra 1 percent of funds for transit in cities of over 200,000 residents, and would prohibit transit authorities that operate bus and rail services from receiving grants from the "bus and bus facilities fund."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Monday’s Headlines Drink Your Milkshake

How does a president end wasteful subsidies for the highly profitable fossil fuel industry? Many have tried, but none have succeeded, including Joe Biden.

March 18, 2024

How — and Why — To Start a Neighborhood E-Bike Library

American advocates are loaning out e-bikes to their neighbors — and creating flocks of new riders.

March 18, 2024

What Urbanists’ Doug Burgum Lovefest Reveals About the ‘Why’ Behind Our Advocacy

I am far less interested in talking about Gov. Doug Burgum's politics than talking about his values, and how those values shape his urbanism, and thus the actual lives of the people he governs.

March 15, 2024

‘Transit Hardship’: Report Shows Why Fair Fares Must Be Expanded to More Workers

A new report on transit fares has found that more than one-in-five moderate-income residents is “affordability hardship.”

March 15, 2024

Friday’s Headlines, Land Ho!

Transit agencies own a bunch of land, and some say they should sell it for housing to create more ridership.

March 15, 2024
See all posts