Could the MTA board overrule Hochul?
Crain's New York Business
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Welcome to Crain's New York Top Stories. This week, reporter Caroline Spivack gets answers to a question on many New Yorkers' mind: Could the MTA board overrule Kathy Hochul on congestion pricing?
The governor's about-face on the toll plan Wednesday kicked off a firestorm of criticism among transit users, business groups and city leaders. It is also unwelcome news for members of the MTA's board, who as a fiduciary to the authority must now decide whether to push back.
The MTA board is made up of 21 members, the majority of who are appointed by the governor. Four of the members were appointed by Mayor Eric Adams. As of Thursday morning, none of the MTA board’s governor-appointed members had issued public statements on congestion pricing’s deferral.
Adams's appointees were quicker to speak out. Midori Valdivia said “there has been no plan B to fund the MTA” and postponing congestion pricing without having a sustainable funding stream in place would be incredibly risky.
The power dynamic of the MTA board’s structure puts members in a difficult position, one expert said. Another expert told Crain's that Hochul may not have the unilateral authority to defer a program that is mandated by state law.
Such a move could also be in violation of the 2009 Public Authorities Reform Act, which states that the MTA board is an independent body and must make decisions with the MTA’s financial stability in mind.
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7mo vocal partido bloquista
5 个月Inspiring!
C.E.O at Live Building Systems
5 个月The MTA should not need a tax to pay for projects. This is mismanagement on the highest level. Congestion tax is not an environmental benefit it is and was a misguided government tax that would hurt business and nyc We need rationale and thoughtful policies for infrastructure not wasteful misguided taxes
Corporate Marketing Direction | Brand Strategy & Governance | Digital AI Innovator | Design Tech Educator | Published Expert & Author | Transforming Ideas into Impact
5 个月We tolerate so much nonsense from non-locals that I welcomed this proposal with open arms...shocked really by/ Gov. Hochul's last-minute reversal...big mistake...