Good morning and welcome to the September board meeting of the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority).
We’re gonna start with public speakers.
Lucille?
Now, for our public speakers whom I would like to remind that in the interest of time and fairness to all 42 speakers
we limit everyone to two minutes.
Please be aware of the clock in front of the room and the warning light you will see
reminding you that you have 30 seconds left to conclude your remarks.
Two weeks ago today I had knee surgery on my right knee,
bandage, severe limp, a cane.
Five days out from that I was allowed to get out of the house.
My first trip was to my doctor.
Where did I find myself?
Seventh Avenue and 53rd Street, going down the stairs where Malaysia Goodson died.
I’m looking down those stairs as I’m barely stepping down, one go at a time,
with people brushing past me, pushing past me.
I kinda saw what she saw.
Monday I emerged from the E train and found an elderly man at the base of the stairs,
his groceries broken and scattered,
his head in a large pool of blood.
Cops tried to get his name, the ambulance came,
and the MTA mopped up the blood.
It didn’t make the papers.
After Malaysia Goodson and after all the lawsuits
this shouldn’t keep happening but it’s gonna keep happening.
- Thank you, sir.
I was also once a poor college student that majored in mechanical engineering at the City College of New York in Harlem.
Engineering school is tough and twice as tough as someone with a disability.
I not only had to deal with [an] intense subject matter and a grueling workload
but a harsh commute that easily took me four and a half hours round trip
instead of two like my able-bodied classmates.
I didn’t know anything about it until 10 years ago when I became disabled.
Because nobody knows, because it’s hidden in plain sight,
because you don’t see people with wheelchairs on the subway.
Now ever since I’ve been in a wheelchair, roughly 15 years I’ve been in a wheelchair now,
I’ve been promised that the subway stations will all be someday made really accessible
and there wouldn’t be any transit issues.
And yet 15 years later I’m still seeing that there’s problems getting to the train.
Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that the MTA violated the Americans with Disabilities Act
by not making the Middletown Road station in the Bronx accessible when it renovated there.
I live in Astoria, Queens.
And I was going down when they were doing the Broadway, Astoria — the N train station.
And I see this staircase going in about a year ago, and I yell up, I said,
“Hey, are you putting that in for [an] elevator?”
And they said “No, it’s just for another staircase.”
I am just trying to find out why is Rochdale Village being ignored?
We don’t even have a ramp. We’re not ADA compliant.
We have 28,000 people that live in Rochdale Village,
50 percent seniors and I’m one of them.
Please do something about it. Thank you.
Unfortunately, the elevator being out at Bowling Green
made my trip instead of two trains, seven.
Really good morning!
- Thank you so much.
Subway rides themselves are difficult for me to maneuver.
If I have a seizure I might be unaware or confused of what’s going on during and after the seizure.
I have lost my balance and fallen on the train because I had a seizure
but was fortunate enough to have a working elevator by the time I got off my stop.
But not everyone is fortunate to have an elevator at their stop, much less an elevator that works.
Ugh, for Chrissakes! Take a picture of this and send it in to the MTA.
The fucking assholes!
Everyday for three weeks it’s been broken. Is that what you’re here for?
It’s sad to say but I sometimes feel like society thinks people with disabilities don’t lead productive and meaningful lives.
And that is reflected in the services that we receive.
I’m against all fare and toll increases and here's why —
Neal, could you pay attention please, thank you. That'll be very kind of you.
- Mr. Pinheiro, I want to remind you there're some rules of conduct —
I know that Freddie.
- Forgive me, I've reminded speakers of that in the past. You’re not the first.
If you would please confine your comments to everything other than engaging individual board members, I’d appreciate that.
We know that, Freddie! But they should pay attention when we speak also, Freddie!
It's not fair! So I hope that you guys pay attention to every single of us
And vote "no" for the fare and toll increases. That's all I have to say.
I’m one of the plaintiffs in these two lawsuits that have been fought in court by the lawyers for the MTA with all of our money.
All of us taxpayers, all of our money is getting spent, millions at a time on lawyers to fight — for what?
What would it take to settle these suits?
A schedule! A binding legal agreement with a timeline for full accessibility by 2034.
That’s what we need, that’s what we demand because it’s attainable.
I’m almost nine months pregnant and pretty soon I’m gonna be another mom
struggling on the New York City subway stairs with a baby and a stroller.
Malaysia Goodson died at 22 years old while carrying a stroller and her 1-year-old child on the stairs.
I’d like to start and give the first part of the time of my comments
by having the cousin of Malaysia Goodson just say a few words.
I just want to speak from my heart. This is not easy for me or my family.
Like I feel like my cousin should still be here.
She had her 1-year-old daughter in her hand walking down these stairs.
It’s not fair, I feel like you guys are raising the price and nothing is being done.
I feel like y’all have to do something fast, quick, before something like this happens again.
You never know.