The official seal of The Bronx.

“I want to thank Mayor Bill De Blasio for working with New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson to find a solution that provides great relief to residents who need the most help by including ‘fair fares’ in the upcoming budget.

“Public transportation fares eat up large chunks of a family’s budget and this initial commitment is on the right ‘track.’ We have fought for this policy for quite some time now, and I am glad to see City Hall and the New York City Council agreeing to fund reduced fare MetroCards for New Yorkers who most need them.

“However, let us not forget that we cannot settle, we must continue to find innovative ways to fund ‘fair fares’ in the future, in order to match the rising cost-of-living in our city,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.