MTA can never have a surplus, if they did they wouldn't get additional funds every year. It doesn't matter if they waste the funds on water bottles or parties, they have to deplete it all. It's the reason why they give such lavish contracts to Small Businesses and why they have hundreds of surveyors. It's Rinse and Repeat, milk the tax base. BTW Subways, Buses, Transit is all funded by the public, then the MTA forces you, the rider, to pay for using mass transit. Double dip much?