Gov. Cuomo announced a state of emergency Thursday morning, on top of earmarking an additional $1 billion to fix the beleaguered MTA system.
“The state has stepped up to the plate but it’s still not enough,” Cuomo said at the kickoff to the MTA’s Genius Transit Challenge at the Hammerstein Ballroom, an event billed as an “international competition” to find ways to repair and modernize the struggling transit system. “I’ve asked local government to contribute more, and thus far they haven’t.”
Cuomo’s comment was a direct shot at Mayor de Blasio in their ongoing feud over who controls the troubled MTA.
Last week, the mayor put the blame for the subway problems squarely on Cuomo, who fired back saying the city should contribute more cash to the state’s capital and operating budgets.
Cuomo’s executive order calling for a state of emergency – which follows Tuesday’s A train derailment in Harlem that left dozens injured — cuts through red tape that makes it difficult for contractors to fix the problem, he said.
“It will no longer be a tortured exercise to do business with the MTA,” he said.
The $1 billion will be added to the MTA’s capital plan to help it make repairs to its aging infrastructure – which Cuomo likened to a “heart attack.”
“It happens all of a sudden and the temptation is to say, well something must have just caused it. This has been caused over decades, we understand that. But, the delays are maddening New Yorkers.”
The governor also threatened to heavily fine Con Edison, which is overseen by the state-run Public Service Commission, if the utility was found to blame for the ongoing problems.
“The power failures that have been going on, that have been sporadic and unpredictable, are becoming more and more frequent,” Cuomo said. “Right now, it’s a finger-pointing game between Con Edison and the MTA. When there’s a power outage, both say it’s the problem of the other.”
Meanwhile, Joe Lhota, who returned as the head of the MTA a week ago, promised a “top to bottom audit” over the next 30 days that will help bring the system into the 21st century.
Lhota has 30 days to come up with a reorganization program. A review of the capital plan, as well as an examination of train cars and physical equipment, is due in 60 days.
“I know what the subway system was, and it can be the crown jewel of New York,” Lhota said.
He added: “No idea is too crazy. No idea is too ambitious.”
Cuomo — who’s been on the receiving end of complaints from frustrated straphangers who’ve faced endless delays in recent weeks — also blasted the MTA’s antiquated communications system.
“They tweet nasty things about me all day, the riders — but we can’t figure out how to communicate with them,” the governor griped. “We need a system with WIFI connectivity in the subways and we need it fast.”
The MTA, PSC and Con Ed have 90 days to conduct a review to find out which agency is responsible for the recent service outages.
Additional reporting by Jaclyn Weiner