MTA was going to try and restore service, until the State took away $250 million

The new tax plan that's been presented as a victory for the 99 percent actually isn't that great of news for straphangers.

According to MTA board member Charles Moerdler, $250 million won't be coming to the MTA through the mobility tax this year because of the State's new plan. While legislators say they'll find a way to make sure the MTA gets that money back, Moerdler says he's skeptical, because he doesn't know how they will be able to do that with such a tight budget.

Here's the kicker: according to Moerdler, the MTA was going to make an effort to save around $20 million to restore some of the service that has been cut over the last year. Now that they're not getting that $250 million, plus another $85 million they're not getting in other taxes he added, those plans are out the door.

He made it a point to add that cuts to the budget will be cuts to service, not new fare hikes to keep service.

"I'll be damned if they're going to increase fares while I'm there," he told Community Board 8, of which he is a member of, earlier this week.

Jump below to see the Straphangers' Campaign Top 10 best and worst lists of events that happened to commuters this year, which include the loss of millions in funding.

Cuomo's proclamation for special session

Here's Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proclamation calling the state Assembly and Senate into extraordinary session at noon today to discuss/vote on legislation about the tax code deal announced yesterday, which also includes job creation and hurricane relief.

If you'd like to watch the special session, head over to their website for a livestream.
Cuomo's proclamation for the extraordinary session

Officials, agencies react to Cuomo's tax plan

City Comptroller John Liu, State Senator Gustavo Rivera, the MTA and the Alliance for Quality Education have all released statements complimenting Governor Andrew Cuomo on his leadership in tax reform. More statements will flow in, so I'll post them all below the jump.

Here's part of Cuomo's press release from today. Read the whole thing here.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver today announced that they have reached a proposed three-way agreement on legislative and executive proposals to create jobs and cut taxes for middle class New Yorkers. The agreement includes support for a comprehensive New York Works Agenda that will create thousands of jobs with new investments in New York's infrastructure, passing a fair tax reform plan that achieves the first major restructuring of the tax code in decades resulting in a tax cut for 4.4 million middle class New Yorkers taxpayers, approving $50 million in additional relief for areas devastated by recent floods, and reducing the MTA payroll tax to provide relief for small businesses. The leaders will now present the agreement to their members for approval.

"Our state government has come together in a bipartisan manner to create jobs, grow our economy and, at the same time enact a fair tax plan that cuts taxes for the middle class," Governor Cuomo said. "We are investing in projects that will restore our state's infrastructure and put thousands of people to work. We are cutting taxes on middle class New Yorkers and small businesses, which will inject nearly $1 billion into our economy. We are targeting new tax credits to hire inner city youth and reduce unemployment in some of the poorest areas of our state, as well as providing direct aid to communities struggling to recover in the wake of this year's severe storms. This would be lowest tax rate for middle class families in 58 years. This job-creating economic plan defies the political gridlock that has paralyzed Washington and shows that we can make government work for the people of this State once again."

Jump below for the statements.

Get back from Israel, go to Albany

I'm from Albany. I've never been to Israel. But I'd be willing to bet that going straight from Israel to Albany is going to make you appreciate Israel a lot more.

The Legislature's near-certain return to action for a special session is going to be very difficult for a handful of elected officials who are in Israel this week.

Bronx/Manhattan state Senator Adriano Espaillat and Bronx Assemblyman Nelson Castro are two of 18 lawmakers from America, Chile and Uruguay who are currently visiting the Middle East nation, sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League.

But the governor is about ready to call a special session to have the elected officials vote on a budget that will hopefully fix a rising deficit.

Espaillat spokesman Ibrahim Khan said the state senator will be back Wednesday night and could be in Albany Thursday if need be.

The Daily News has the full saga:

During their eight-day trip the lawmakers are visiting “places of religious, political and historical importance and meeting with Palestinians, Arab Israelis, Bedouins, Holocaust survivors, members of the Knesset, the Supreme Court and representatives from the Israeli government and civil society,” according to a press release from the ADL.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who was not on the tour and is on his way up to Albany today, is a bit upset at the lack of clarity over the past week.

"They need to give us a little notice," he said. "It's a little ridiculous. People have plans."

Dinowitz highlighted Espaillat's trip (they share a bit of Riverdale), saying that it could "easily cost $1,000 to change that flight," and it would come out of Espaillat's own pocket.

Quickly checking Expedia, one-way flights from Israel to the NYC area range from $662 to $4,950, with many around the $1,000-$2,000 range.

There's at least one assembly member won't be ending his in-country vacation short for the special session. 

Related side note: the Riverdale Review will hopefully have a story about Espaillat's trip in the Dec. 15 issue.

It's beginning to look a lot like...a special session

Speaking with a handful of various staff members in both the state Senate and Assembly, everyone seems to be preparing for a special legislative session to resolve the state budget. Earlier today on the State of the Politics blog, Liz Benjamin also said she's heard rumblings that a special session could be called as early as next week:

Members of the Assembly are being given a heads up this morning that a tentative three-day special session in Albany next week is possible, a highly placed Democratic source said.

The potential session would be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week.

One source who was down at an event at City Hall today told us that the legislators are all talking about it with one another but don't have any official word exactly.

Another source, when asked if the special session would turn into a circus, gave me a list of things that will probably get brought up regardless of if Governor Cuomo has a set agenda or not:

• tax code change...no millionaire's tax, but one that's more equitable nonetheless (higher rates for wealthy mixed w/ tax cuts for middle-class)
• taxi medallion issue
• possibly healthcare issue (NY is not in compliance)

Last week, Cuomo said he wouldn't bring the legislators back just for show and games and wanted to have a strict plan in place for them to work on and/or vote on.

Diaz Sr. urges Espaillat to ignore Skelos (UPDATE)

Outspoken state Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. sent a letter to his fellow Democrat, state Senator Adriano Espaillat, asking him to not attend a Hispanic legislative conference that GOP Majority Leader Dean Skelos is planning.

Diaz asks that Espaillat--who chairs the Senate's Puerto Rican/Latino Caucus--and the rest of the Hispanic community boycott the conference to show Skelos they do not approve of the way he voted on the budget.

Here's a little snippet of the letter. Jump below for the full letter, as well as Espaillat's response.

I believe that many will agree with me that this event has been whipped up by Senator Dean Skelos to win the affection of Hispanic New Yorkers and is insulting  and  disrespectful  to  the  New  York State Puerto Rican/Latino Caucus and to New York’s Hispanic community.

(UPDATE) Also below is a statement from fellow Bronx state Senator Gustavo Rivera, who will not be attending the conference.