14 JANUARY 3, 2019 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Stringer wonders if ‘Fair Fares’ program delivers what it promises
BY MARK HALLUM
MHALLUM@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
Since committing $106 million in
the 2010 budget to half priced
MetroCards in June, the de Blasio
administration may have overlooked
important rider demographics when
organizing the program, according to
City Comptroller Scott Stringer.
Stringer believes that some of the
poorest commuters may still be stuck
paying $2.75 per swipe as the Fair
Fares program only give half price
to seven-day and 30-day unlimited
MetroCards.
With only 15 percent of unlimited
passes being purchase by the those
below poverty level, according to
New York City Transit stats cited by
Stringer, half-priced fares may still
be just out of reach for the demographics
the program was designed
for, Stringer wrote in a letter sent to
city Human Resources Commissioner
Steven Banks.
“Given the high cost of these unlimited
passes, even at half-price, I am
concerned that many New Yorkers
below the poverty line will not be
able to aff ord them,” Stringer said in
the letter. “Clearly, low-income riders
are heavily dependent on these lower
cost options. As you know, the existing
Reduced-Fare MetroCard program
allows seniors and disabled riders
to obtain single-ride discounts, and
yet the current plan would exclude
low-income riders eligible for Fair
Fares from the same option. That
would seem to make little sense if the
point of Fair fares is to make transit
more aff ordable for all New Yorkers
living below the poverty line.”
The Fair Fares program is set to
open for enrollment on Jan. 1.
About 35 percent of all single-ride
passes are purchased for those making
below $25,000 per year, according
to NYC Transit’s statistics referred to
by Stringer.
Among Stringer’s other concerns
were accessibility of the program for
immigrants, who will be prioritized
at the outset of the program, how people
not already enrolled in the HRA’s
programs will be able to apply as well
as questioning if adequate investment
and outreach about Fair Fares had
been conducted.
“We hear the concerns and are
taking them seriously,” HRA spokesman
Lourdes Centeno said. “We’re
prepared to launch the program in
January and will have details to announce
soon.”
According to City-Data, 18.2 percent
of Queens residents lived below the
poverty line in 2016 which the U.S.
Census Bureau placed poverty in the
borough at 12.2 percent in 2018, but
noted that this fi gure may not be fully
accurate considering challenges to the
methodology.
Transit advocate groups such as
Riders Alliance and other activist
organizations put pressure on the de
Blasio administration starting in April
to include the program in the Fiscal
Year 2019 city budget before it could
be passed.
In June, Mayor Bill de Blasio acquiesced
to the demands and included
$106 million in the budget to fund the
program for applicants who make
below $25,000 per year, a far cry from
the $220 million members of the public
were calling for originally.
Photo via Flickr
‘Tree-cycle’ your Christmas trees at curbs and ‘Mulchfest’
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
EDAVENPORT@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
The Sanitation Department has
begun hauling away Christmas
trees as part of their annual
curbside collection.
As of Jan. 2, 2019, the New York City
Department of Sanitation is now collecting
clean, non-bagged Christmas
trees throughout the borough. The
collection will take place until Jan. 12,
2019, weather permitting.
Residents are reminded to remove
all stands, ornaments, lights and tinsel
before putting the trees to the curb.
The collected trees will be chipped,
mixed with leaves, and recycled into
compost for the city’s parks, institutions
and community gardens.
“While Christmas trees are in our
homes for only a short period of time,
recycling can give them a longer life,”
said Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn
Garcia. “Aft er collection, the trees
are turned into compost to give life to
plants in our city’s parks and community
gardens. We thank all residents
for taking part in the program.”
The city’s Parks Department is
also holding their Mulchfest event as
another option to tree recycling. From
Jan. 4-13, residents can come to one of
68 sites to drop off their Christmas tree
so it can be made into mulch. Residents
are again reminded to remove all lights,
ornaments, decorations and netting
from trees before dropping them off .
On the last weekend of Mulchfest,
residents can come to one of 31 dropoff
sites and bring home a bag of mulch
for their homes.
“We encourage New Yorkers to
bid their tree “fi r-well” at Mulchfest,
making it a part of their Holiday
tradition,” said Parks Commissioner
Mitchell J. Silver. “By making greening
a family activity, we all can help
reduce waste, and protect and nourish
other trees and plants across the
city year-round.”
For more information on Christmas
tree collection and recycling or
MulchFest, visit www.nyc.gov/dsny,
www.nyc.gov/parks or call 311.
Those who are looking to get rid
of plastic or metal fake trees are encouraged
to sell or donate their trees.
Donation opportunities may be found
at nyc.gov/donate, however if this is not
an option, the Sanitation Department
recommends removing all ornaments
and lights, and put them out next to your
recycling on regular recycling days.
Photo via Pixabay
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