Res. No. 1008
Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign S.5870 to amend the Public Authorities Law to increase the maximum civil penalty for fare evasion to $500.
By Council Members Vallone, Fidler, Mendez, Nelson, Rose, Oddo and Ulrich
Whereas, According to the New York Daily News, an MTA study estimates that fare evaders cheated the subway system 18.5 million times in 2009, roughly the equivalent of an average of 50,684 times a day at a cost of $31 million in lost revenue; and
Whereas, Under paragraph 5-a of section 1204 of the Public Authorities Law, the present maximum penalty for fare evasion is $100, with an additional potential penalty of $50 for the failure to pay the original summons; and
Whereas, The present fine for fare evasion was set in 2008 and the previous penalty of $60 was set in 1988; and
Whereas, The penalty for fare evasion has gone up only twice since 1988, even though the subway fare has increased six times since 1989; and
Whereas, S.5870, sponsored by Senator Charles Fuschillo, would increase the penalty for fare evasion to a maximum of $500 and would also increase the penalty for the failure to pay the original summons to $100; and
Whereas, This bill would help to provide a financial disincentive to those who routinely evade paying the subway fare; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign S.5870 to amend the Public Authorities Law to increase the maximum civil penalty for fare evasion to $500.
LS# 2721
8/15/2011
GZ