Governor Pataki has the final say on whether or not the 62 token booths slated for closure are going to be shut down.

Last Friday, the Assembly and the Senate passed a bill (A.9020, S.5473), sponsored by State Senators Guy Vellela and Martin Golden and State Assembly Member Keith Wright, that prohibits the MTA from closing any token booths for up to 3 years. The final decision now lies in the hands of Governor Pataki.

The bill creates a seven person committee to study methods of making the subways safer, free from terrorist acts and crime. It also provides for "a moratorium on the closing of token booths," until July 1, 2005 or until the full safety report is submitted to the Governor. The report must be completed within three years after the bill goes into effect.

Transit advocates commended the legislature for its decision and urged Gov. Pataki to approve the bill. "If Gov. Pataki wants to protect four and a half million daily subway riders, he will sign the bill into law," said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign. But MTA officials this week put pressure on the Gov. to veto the bill, saying passage of the bill would be "extremely bad" for the agency.

Despite the fact that the Governor ultimately has control over the MTA and its policies, he has been distant from the recent MTA fare increase and financial scandal. This bill forces him to take a stance on the token booth issue, and gives him an opportunity to stand up for NYC’s transit riders. If he does veto the bill, he risks dealing with another embarrassing override by the Legislature. The legislature overrode the Governor’s budget just a few weeks ago.

Daily News columnist Lenore Skenazy called for the Governor to heed riders’ concerns about safety, and keep the booths open. "Don’t let the MTA cover its mistakes by ousting its clerks, Governor. Stand clear of the closing booths," she wrote. She also criticized the MTA for spending over $100 million on its new headquarters at 2 Broadway, while closing 62 booths to save just $6 million. 

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