The administration of US President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to the transit authority in New York City, urging that the city’s subway system’s crime levels remain decreased or face possible reductions in funding.
On Tuesday, transportation secretary Sean Duffy addressed a letter to the metro transportation authority ( MTA ) outlining the administration’s commitment to public safety and urging them to take immediate action to lower rising crime rates. The MTA now receives billions of dollars in financing from the federal government, which is now in jeopardy.
The rise in violent crime, poverty, and other risks to public health on one of our country’s most well-known subway systems is unacceptable, Duffy wrote. Our Department is stepping in to restore order after decades of soft-on-crime plans.
Duffy also raised questions about the safety of regular commuters, arguing that passengers shouldn’t have to worry about their safety while traversing the city. ” Riders are sick and tired of feeling as though they must risk their lives when they travel to work, school, or other locations in the city.” We may continue to fight to make sure that their national tax dollars are being used to create a crime-free commute.
The email specifically requests that the MTA provide information on police patrols, assaults on employees, and suffer avoidance. Moreover, the department of transportation is looking for details on how federal funding has been used to improve transit system security measures.
Duffy reaffirmed his appreciation for your prompt attention to this issue, which could lead to more outcomes, including withholding or redirecting funding.
In response to the letter, MTA’s John McCarthy, director of coverage and additional relations, claimed that crime rates in the transport system are decreasing. According to McCarthy,” Crime is down 40 % compared to the same period in 2020 right before the pandemic, and there are fewer daily major crimes in transit than any non-pandemic year ever,” while also noting a 25 % decline in fare evasion since the Covid-19 pandemic.
In January, MTA head Janno Lieber acknowledged public concerns about train protection while arguing that general crime statistics paint a different picture. Lieber stated on the” Bloomberg Talks” podcast from Bloomberg News that “last year, we actually saw 12.5 % less crime than 2019, the year before Covid. However, it is without a doubt that some of these well-known incidents—terrible attacks —have infected people and made the entire system feel less secure.
The federal government’s notice hints at a possible conflict between crime policies and funding, despite assurances from transit authorities. If the MTA doesn’t comply with the president’s demands, it may face major financial strains that could have an impact on the town’s transit system and the millions of everyday riders.
