Don't Merrick Garland the MTA

In Washington, D.C., political inaction has stalled the president’s nomination of a Supreme Court justice. The stalemate is in its third month.

Washington may seem far away, but New York City commuters are the victims of a similar situation here at home: Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Senate have been Merrick Garland-ing the MTA.

The MTA board, which oversees our vital $15-billion-a-year transit agency, is supposed to consist of voting representatives from the governor, the mayor and nearby suburban counties.

But for the last year, the city of New York has been at a significant disadvantage in MTA board decision-making: out of four appointments Mayor de Blasio has made to the MTA board, only one of them has actually made it through the confirmation process. The other three are in limbo: last year the Senate failed to bring them to a vote, while this year Gov. Andrew Cuomo waited to submit the names. In the meantime, holdovers and empty seats represent the city’s transportation network.

As a result, New York City residents are fighting with one hand and two legs tied behind our backs when the MTA decides important questions like where to add or subtract service, or which infrastructure projects to prioritize.

Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland has been waiting for three months with no action on his confirmation; Mayor de Blasio’s appointees to the MTA board have been waiting for a whole year. After months of delay, Cuomo finally resubmitted the nominations to the Senate this week. In order for the mayor’s appointees to be confirmed to the MTA board, the Senate must act quickly to approve them.

Unfortunately, the clock is running out: there is only one week left in the state Senate calendar this year. Last year, the Senate went home without approving the nominations; if it does the same thing now, New York City residents may be waiting until 2017 to be fully represented at the MTA. In the meantime, the MTA could make decisions about how much to raise fares and how to address acute problems like subway overcrowding and declining bus ridership.

New Yorkers take about 8 million rides on the subway and bus every day; we should be represented with strength on the MTA board. Voters have come to expect inaction in Washington, but we shouldn’t tolerate the same tactics here at home.

John Raskin is the executive director of the Riders Alliance, a grassroots organization of subway and bus riders.