Take on the penalty for assaulting a transit worker

I never quite get these threatening signs for penalties for breaking
the law. On the subway or the bus you'll often see these warnings for
assaulting an MTA, LIRR or NJ Transit worker but it always seems more
like an invitation to do so as long as you are willing to serve the
time. Secondly I don't get why transit workers get singled out
specifically as if assaulting a fellow commuter isn't nearly as
egregious I guess they had to add this special provision to the law
because transit workers are generally some of the least friendly and
accommodating service employees out there so you can see people losing
their nerves and beating them to a bloody pulp.


But what really bothers me is the inequality of the two penalties.
They are stated as "up to five years in prison and fines up to $7500".
How can a crime have a penalty have a prison term of a half a decade
but only have monetary fines of less than $10,000. To me a five year
prison sentence would be the equivalent of a million dollars in fines.
There is no way any person would reasonably equate those two maximum
penalties