Today, Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R,C,I,Ref- Medford) joined Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy, Senator Monica Martinez, Assemblyman Dough Smith and Suffolk County officials Rudy Sundermann and Bob Martinez at a press conference calling on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to scale back their fare increases at the LIRR Ronkonkoma train station. 

The MTA board voted on Wednesday, February 26 to increase fares on all railroads, subways, buses and toll crossings and eliminate their MetroCard purchasing bonus.

“Many of our residents heavily rely on the MTA to get to work every day, and it is unfair to raise fares for a service that experiences so many operational deficiencies,” said DeStefano. “New York remains one of the most expensive places to live and these costs are merely a short-term band-aid for the MTA that will further strain our city’s most economically challenged.”