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Friday, August 31, 2018
Vol. 67, No. 35
BACK TO SCHOOL
RA ANNOUNCES BID FOR FIFTH TERM
STATE LEGISLATORS DISCUSS L.I. SOUND
PAGES 29-36
PAGE 3
PAGE 20
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Phillips to LIRR: improve service or scrap hikes
‘MOSES’ PROTESTS
GOP state senator tells MTA to ‘step up it’s game’ after worst yearly performance BY R E B ECC A K L A R State Sen. Elaine Phillips is calling on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to scrap planned Long Island Rail Road fare hikes until train service is improved. The Flower Hill Republican sent a letter to MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota and the board on Monday stating the LIRR “needs to step up its game before turning to already overburdened fare payers for more revenue.” “LIRR commuters are not getting what they are paying for,” Phillips said in a news release. !“And adding to their burden only brings insult to that injury.” In 2017, the Long Island Rail Road had its worst on-time performance in 18 years, according to a March report by the state comptroller’s office. More than 21,000 trains were late, canceled or terminated in 2017, according to the report.
In her letter, Phillips notes the audit identified more than 2,000 trains that were delayed by at least 15 minutes in the months of December and January alone. In April, Phillip Eng was appointed LIRR president. He replaced Patrick Nowakowski, who served for nearly four years and oversaw 2017’s performance. LIRR spokeswoman Sarah Armaghan said Eng is moving ahead with the LIRR Forward program, to tackle problematic areas. She also noted the LIRR’s multibillion-dollar investment to modernize the system, including the project that will add a third track along the main line stretching from Floral Park to Hicksville. “We understand riders’ frustrations when train service is impacted and that’s why Long Islanders are seeing so much improvement work underway right now!on the LIRR system,” Armaghan said. Continued on Page 50
(PHOTO COURTESY OF PANIC PRISON ABOLITIONISTS OF NASSAU INCITING CHANGE VIA FACEBOOK)
Stephen Figurasmith, center, speaks about his charges alongside fellow prison reform advocates outside the Nassau County Court building in Mineola last Friday after his hearing. See story on page 6.
D’Urso to hold gun safety forum during NRA event B Y R E B E C C A K L A R sociation is planning to hold a to prevent violent incidents inState Assemblyman Anthony D’Urso (D-Port Washington) will moderate a gun safety forum in September – on the same day the National Rifle As-
fundraiser in New Hyde Park that has drawn heat from activists. “While I affirm a citizen’s right to own a gun, we need to have stronger and stricter laws
volving gun shootings,” D’Urso said in a statement. “…The NRA is not welcome here.”! The forum, co-hosted by Moms Demand Action and Continued on Page 51
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