Attendees waiting to get through insane security check (this is the one photo BoogieDowner was able to take before our camera battery died... yeah, it was one of those nights)
BoogieDowner took a stroll over to Lehman College's Lovinger Theatre last night to attend the MTA public hearing. The hearing began around 6pm, and we arrived at 5:45pm to find the lines to get into the theatre were already quite long (not to mention slow moving).
With the insane amount of security present you would have thought that Bernie Madoff was a scheduled guest speaker or something. Attendees had to go through metal detectors and get the ol' wand treatment as well for any questionable keys/coins/explosives they may have been trying to hide in their pockets. And forget hurling rotten tomatoes at MTA Chief Exec Lee Sander: no food or drink permitted.
Because I had the one year old with me, attending the hearing was much more complicated than I thought it would be. Like much of NYC, it just wasn't stroller friendly. It took me 10 minutes to find the balcony area where I'd actually be able to stand with Pearl, but then I was told I needed a 'police escort' to get into the area. After another 15 minutes of securing said escort, I made it to the balcony only to be told it wasn't really for strollers but more for handicapped individuals. So after listening to only one speaker Pearl and I decided community activism was just too much work for us and headed home.
Aside from my own personal difficulties in attending the hearing, it was quite inspiring to see so many concerned Bronxites in attendance. There were reportedly nearly 400 people there protesting the MTA's proposed fare hikes and service cuts.
Hey, did I mention we have a petition going here on BoogieDowner to protest the proposed elimination of the Bx34 bus and night-time suspension of the Bx10 bus? Just click below to sign it.
~ErLu
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