MTA chief Janno Lieber is unfazed by a $3 billion shortfall in the agency’s $68 billion capital funding plan, asserting that the MTA will find savings independently. He framed this shortfall as a responsibility rather than a setback, expressing optimism about achieving necessary projects economically. Critics, including Citizens Budget Commission's Andrew Rein, question why such savings weren't pursued earlier, noting existing efficiencies. The state budget, totaling $254 billion, ultimately provides $65 billion for the MTA, signaling a significant, though incomplete, funding commitment from Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators.
We welcome the challenge that the legislature and the governor put to us to do projects faster, even faster, even better and even cheaper.
It's possible to get $3 billion in savings.
The record-breaking $254 billion state budget deal settled months of suspense over how - and whether - Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers would fund the MTA's capital plan.
Lieber still called it a 'historic victory'.
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