Municipal Liability
WILL DRACONIAN MTA BUDGET CUTS AFFECT PASSENGER SAFETY?
Posted by: William Gentile
November 21, 2008
New York City transit passengers have already been shocked by a potential increase in subway/bus fares by as much as 23%. What will we get for paying an astronomically higher amount per ride? Much worse service and dangerous subway stations. The MTA is planning massive budget cuts to close a $900 Billion budget shortfall. Some of the potential cuts were detailed by the Daily News. Station safety is predicated on having enough personnel in place to keep subway entrances and platforms free from dangerous conditions and litter. If the MTA cuts back on these positions the conditions of subway stations will worsen. Reductions in subway staff can also increase crime rates in subway systems.
Transit blogger has a great post detailing how the MTA caused much of its own budget shortfall by playing the same financing games with collateralized debt obligations that caused Wall Street banks so many problems. As with the government bailout of Wall Street, everyday citizens are getting stuck with the bill for the foolish financial mistakes of others.
NEW YORK CITY CLAIMS RIDER OF CYCLONE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN RIDE WOULD KILL HIM
Posted by: William Gentile
November 19, 2008
The City, in defending against a lawsuit brought by the family of a San Francisco musician who died after riding the Cyclone last year, is claiming that Keith Shirasawa should have known that the roller coaster was potentially fatal. While riding the Cyclone on his birthday in July 2007, 53-year-old Keith Shirasawa fractured three neck vertebrae and died four days later after complications from surgery. His lawyers contend that the Parks Department is at fault for not regularly inspecting the landmark ride. But the city claims that "any and all risks, hazards, defects and dangers to the extent alleged are of an open, obvious, apparent and inherent nature known and should have been known to [Shirasawa]," according to court papers obtained by the Daily News.
