"Transit riders and workers elected the governor to do hard things and confront tough challenges," said Riders Alliance Director of Policy and Communications Danny Pearlstein. "It's her job to make sure our transit system is properly funded so that we can finally have the reliable, accessible, resilient service we've long been denied but that we need and deserve. Gov. Hochul is trying to pass the buck, but she's out of luck. She controls the MTA. The buck stops with her."
Hochul's predecessor, disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, did have his representative on the CPRB veto the 2014-2019 plan, causing the MTA to shave off $2 billion. But rejecting the plan would be Hochul's only option to force the agency to cut any projects from it.
If she were to do that, the MTA would have to gut a capital plan it has pitched as desperately needed to fix the rotting subway system, including unseen aspects like power substations and visible-but-struggling pieces like giant elevated train tracks.
Despite the largest price tag, outside observers praised the MTA for focusing a capital plan on crucial improvements, highlighting the urgent need for proper funding to address the system's challenges.
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