On November 5, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz greeted commuters at the Atlantic-Pacific subway station in Brooklyn and distributed leaflets that urge riders to call on the Governor to block a proposed MTA fare hike and increase state aid for the subways, buses and commuter rail.

BP Markowitz joined the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign for the leafleting, which came on the first day of eight public hearings being held by the MTA in New York City and the suburbs.

“Frankly, as the City considers strategies to reduce traffic congestion, this is no time for the MTA to be talking about raising fares for hard-working residents and commuters, who already pay more than their fair share,” said BP Markowitz. “The state needs to spend more on public transit—to improve service and win back the trust of riders—and the MTA needs to give the legislature time to approve the funding increase, not ‘railroad’ transit riders into footing the bill.”