President Trump’s transportation chief put Gov. Kathy Hochul on discover for asking for extra federal cash to prop up the chronically cash-strapped MTA – as issues over subway security soar.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy railed towards the Democrat in a Tuesday social media put up, blasting the Metropolitan Transportation as “horribly run” because the federal authorities and Empire State proceed to spar over a controversial Manhattan congestion toll.
“Outrageous! Governor Hochul is asking for MORE cash for the horribly run MTA,” Duffy wrote in an X put up.
Duffy’s ire was raised after Hochul, together with state Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) and Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Westchester), despatched a letter requesting the feds commit to vary their funding components for the MTA.
The letter — despatched to Duffy, Trump and Republican congressional leaders — argued the federal authorities doesn’t pay the MTA its justifiable share.
“Whereas the MTA carries 43 p.c of the nation’s mass transit riders, its share of federal transit components funding is simply 17 p.c,” the letter reads.
“We imagine this can be a elementary misalignment.”
“As a substitute of addressing rampant crime that’s scaring riders away or truly fixing their monetary mismanagement, the state is attempting to fill the hole with freeway funds and taxing the working class,” he wrote.
“How might the state’s modernization plans say NOTHING about making transportation techniques safer?” the put up mentioned.
“Earlier than we make any modifications to funding choices, we’d wish to see their plan to make the subway dependable, safe, and clear… The federal authorities shouldn’t be a clean test, and we are going to maintain NYC leaders accountable for not preserving commuters secure.”
The back-and-forth is the newest wrinkle in a weeks-long spat between Duffy and Hochul that ignited over the governor’s $9 base toll to enter Midtown Manhattan — a plan that was touted for lowering congestion within the Large Apple however was set to generate wanted income for the MTA.
In February, Duffy introduced that he’d pull federal approval for congestion pricing — a transfer that Trump celebrated by boastfully tweeting, “LONG LIVE THE KING!”
Hohcul and MTA officers shortly sued to dam Duffy, and defiantly mentioned they’d preserve gathering the tolls previous a Trump administration deadline as long as the courtroom case remained alive.
Within the meantime, Hochul carried on high-level talks with Trump over a revamp of Penn Station, whereas Duffy demanded transit security data from the MTA beneath risk of pulling federal funding.
MTA officers hope the feds will preserve ponying up money as they pursue a record-breaking $64.8 billion 2025-29 capital plan.
Duffy final week prolonged his deadline to finish congestion pricing by 30 days — in an X put up stuffed with assaults and a risk towards the MTA’s funding from the feds.
The newest missive from Duffy doubled down on that stance and issued a dire warning for Hochul.
“The federal authorities shouldn’t be a clean test, and we are going to maintain NYC leaders accountable for not preserving commuters secure,” Duffy mentioned.
Supply hyperlink
