In New York City's long tradition of fighting City Hall, one of the most spectacular examples happened a quarter century ago this week.

It was 1985, when local elected representatives, community members, transportation and environmental advocates, fiscal conservatives and the U.S. Congress forced State and City officials to "trade-in"...

As an advocate in New York City for three decades, I have often been asked, "Where do my tax dollars go?"

Now answers can be found at the Checkbook NYC website recently launched by City Comptroller John Liu.

Checkbook NYC, an online application designed to shed sunlight on...

Believe it or not, some good things happened for city subway and bus riders in 2009 -- along with the predictably bad. So here's my list of the best and worst in transit during the year that's just ending.

Not surprisingly, a few of the best things sometimes also have...

The Straphangers Campaign has long been a big supporter of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's five-year rebuilding programs. A new plan - running from 2010 to 2014 - is now pending before the state Legislature.

More than $75 billion has been spent since 1982 to help bring the subways, buses...

Yesterday, the Straphangers Campaign and Transportation Alternatives gave out three dubious awards to highlight a bitter reality for two-and-a-half million daily New York City bus riders: poor, slow and unreliable service.

Our groups held the awards presentation - with all the trimmings, from wearing tuxedos to unveiling 'winners' - to...

What Halloween would be complete without the annual Straphangers Campaign trick o' treat of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority?

The Campaign has always found that the approach of Halloween provides an opportunity to raise key issues with decision makers and riders. Like the year we handed...

We wuz robbed!

With that broiling grievance in mind, the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign joined in a lawsuit this week objecting to the rotten deal that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority struck this past June for the rights to build over the Vanderbilt Yards in Brooklyn.

If this deal goes ahead -...

New York Governor Paterson has a great opportunity to make the Metropolitan Transportation Authority -- which runs the city's subways, buses and commuter lines more accountable to the public.

A bill passed the state legislature in July which would reform New York State's public authorities. It's sponsored by New York...

It's good news for subway riders that Governor Paterson has nominated Jay Walder as Chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

I had the opportunity to work with Jay during the years that he was a high-ranking staffer for two former MTA Chairmen.

He played...

If the legislative meltdown in the State Senate in Albany teaches us anything, it is that New Yorkers ignore the offices below Governor and Mayor at their peril.

For many of the City's residents, paying attention to the upcoming New York City Council races is like drinking civic castor oil...

Maddening. Joyful. Slow. Speedy. Frustrating. A blissful detour from your woes. A bitter reminder of life's unfairness.

And it's either going to get better -- or head downhill fast.

Maybe that does or doesn't describe your relationship with your main squeeze. But it almost certainly chronicles the contradictory emotions felt...