'Fair Fares' Supporters Rally Outside New York City Hall

FINANCIAL DISTRICT, NY — Advocates for discounted MetroCards for low-income New Yorkers took to City Hall's steps on Monday morning, voicing support for the so-called "fair fares" initiative. For more news from the Financial District and across New York City, sign up for Patch's news alerts here.

The rally on City Hall steps came before a scheduled meeting of the City Council's transportation committee, during which committee members heard testimony from advocates for subsidizing transportation fares for low-income New Yorkers. David Jones, president and CEO of the Community Service Society of New York, testified in support of providing discounted MetroCards to low-income New Yorkers.

"Our buses and subways have become unaffordable for far too many—one out of four low-income working-age New Yorkers say they often can’t afford a MetroCard, according to our survey research," he wrote in his prepared testimony published in advance of Monday's meeting. "Making public transit affordable should be a priority for this city and this mayoral administration which came into office promising to combat economic inequality.

Jones was calling for half-price MetroCards for city residents living at or below the poverty level. According to Jones: "About 800,000 people would be eligible for a savings of $726 a year off the cost of 12 monthly passes."

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