#HARTFORD – State Representative Gail Lavielle (R-143) is circulating a petition to commuters in a concerted effort to stop the proposed 5% fare increase for all Metro-North and Shoreline East trains, which would take effect on December 1. For Metro-North commuters, the fare hike would be combined with a previously scheduled 1% increase, making the increase 6% in total.
The proposed fare increase is a direct result of the $37 million in cuts imposed on the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) by the administration as part of the 2016-2017 revised state budget passed by majority legislators last May. In its announcement of the proposed increase, the DOT said that it expected the higher fares to generate $5.9 million.
“I will not let this go forward without a fight,” said Rep. Lavielle. “Commuters are not getting any improvement in their transit service in return for this increase. Instead, they’re being forced to pay for problems created by irresponsible management of the state budget. Metro-North passengers in particular already had to swallow 5% increases in 2012, 2013, and 2014, and 1% increases in 2015 and 2016. Because many commuters have no alternative for getting to work, they are hostages to these increases, and this is a hard hit to their household budgets. This isn’t right, and it isn’t fair.
“It’s not enough, however, just to protest. That’s why I am working together with several other members of my caucus to go the extra distance to help commuters voice their concerns and to propose other feasible ways for the state to address its budget issues that will not impose yet another unfair sacrifice on hardworking people who must use the trains every day.”
To help rail passengers make their voices heard, Rep. Lavielle and her colleagues have created a petition and over the coming days will be riding the trains to collect signatures from concerned commuters. The petition is also easily accessible online atwww.nofareincrease.com
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The CT DOT has announced that public hearings will be held this month in six communities, including Stamford, New Haven, and Waterbury. Rep. Lavielle will attend at least one of the scheduled public hearings and present the signed petitions on behalf of those Metro-North and Shoreline East commuters opposed to the fare hikes, along with a letter to DOT Commissioner James Redeker, the governor, and legislative leaders proposing alternative budgetary solutions for avoiding the fare increase.
The DOT’s full public hearing schedule is posted at www.ct.gov/dot. The DOT is also accepting public comment by email through September 15 at dot.farecomments@ct.gov.
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State Rep. Gail Lavielle represents Norwalk, Westport, and Wilton. She is Ranking Member of the General Assembly’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and a member of the Transportation Committee.
(Press Release)
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