A statewide coalition of New York GOP leaders issued a letter to U.S. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell stressing the importance that Congress deliver another $3.9 billion relief package for the MTA in the next coronavirus stimulus bill. The elected leaders stressed how the MTA will be vital to not just New York's economic recovery but the nation's as well.

The full text and PDF of the letter are available below.

Dear Leader McConnell,

As proud New York Republicans, we are writing to make the case for significant additional federal funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The nearly $4 billion directed to the MTA in the CARES Act approved by Congress and signed by President Trump has been crucial in allowing the agency to continue running service. But it is ultimately not enough to meet the full need. We are asking Congress to act again and provide an additional $3.9 billion to support the MTA’s operations through 2020.

A failing MTA will be a huge blow not just to New York, but the country as a whole as it seeks to rebound economically from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

New York has been the epicenter of this crisis in the United States. The essential workers on the frontlines who have rightly received so much praise and appreciation depend on mass transit to get to their critical jobs. Healthcare providers, pharmacists, first responders and grocery store workers cannot be left stranded at the time when they’re needed most.

As this pandemic subsides, the need for a robust transportation network will only be greater. The MTA has always been the economic lifeblood of the New York metropolitan region. The system connects more than 15 million residents across New York City, Long Island, Westchester and Connecticut with employment and educational opportunities that help drive the downstate economy, which accounts for nearly 10 percent of the national GDP. It would stunt both the New York and national post-pandemic recovery to let the agency flounder.

The MTA’s financial future is at risk without federal relief. COVID-19 has blown a massive hole in its budget. The global consulting firm McKinsey & Co. estimates the full 2020 impact to be between $7 billion and $8.5 billion due to massive revenue losses caused by disappearing ridership and the evaporation of state and local taxes that support the MTA.

The agency has run out of avenues for support. Without assistance from Washington, the only option left for repayment of the MTA’s debt is fare and toll hikes. We can't put this burden on our constituents when so many have lost their jobs.

We can help put them back to work by protecting the MTA and its historic $51.5 billion Capital Program – which is projected to generate 350,000 jobs statewide, 25 percent of which are outside of New York City. Eighty nine percent of the money involved is expected to be spent within New York State, among diverse businesses across the state, including upstate areas like Plattsburgh and Endicott. This is the shot in the arm we need to bring the economy back from the brink.

There’s also value for our vendors based across the country. We work with companies from all over – states like Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Iowa, Illinois, New Jersey and Texas, all of whom would benefit from a continued partnership with North America’s largest transportation system.

The bottom line is that the MTA is too important – to the country, not just to New York – to be left for dead. It is critical to the businesses of New York and beyond. A strong state and national economic rebound is going to be virtually impossible without a functioning MTA.

We look forward to working with you on this important matter.