NY lawmakers demand subway chief's ouster after comment dismissive of crime issue: 'In people's heads'
New York lawmakers called for the governor-appointed chairman of the New York City transit system to be fired amid accusations he downplayed a rash of subway crime to praise new Manhattan tolls that are aimed at driving commuters underground.
In comments on a Bloomberg podcast, MTA Chairman Janno Lieber argued that crime on the MTA has declined and that the recent viral incidents are giving an impression of a system-wide safety crisis.
"The overall stats are positive. Last year, we [had] actually 12.5% less crime than 2019 . . . , " he said.
"But there's no question that some of these high-profile incidents; terrible attacks, have gotten in people's heads and made the whole system feel less safe."
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Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., shared a clip of Lieber ceremonially unveiling one of the new "Congestion Pricing" setups near Lincoln Center and said the agency "needs an enema; starting with Janno Lieber."
"Imagine being such an a--hole as to celebrate screwing New Yorkers out of their hard-earned money just for the privilege to drive to work," Lawler wrote, adding that Hochul "needs to be defeated in 2026."
Lieber ripped Lawler in response, telling MSNBC that the Rockland County lawmaker was dabbling in "grievance politics."
Lieber claimed that a plurality of Lawler’s constituents – in bedroom communities 30 miles north of the city – already rely on mass transit and that only "one percent" make the daily drive down the Palisades to the "congestion-pricing" zone.
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New York’s new $9 toll to enter any part of Manhattan below Central Park has enraged commuters, as well as residents within its bounds.
Commuters from Long Island found themselves bottlenecked in trying to access the last unaffected entry to Manhattan – the Upper Level of the Queensboro Bridge.
One East Side luxury building's exit also unintentionally forced residents through a toll gantry, even if they are trying to go uptown; away from the zone, while outer neighborhoods braced for a deluge of suburbanites looking for parking to avoid the toll.
New York Senate Deputy Minority Leader Andrew Lanza, R-Staten Island, torched Lieber:
"Janno: pull your head out of your piles of statistics, get out from behind your computer, and walk a mile in your riders’ shoes before you ignore, dismiss and insult them," Lanza said.
"The people of this state and city deserve the truth and real solutions, not eggheads trying to convince themselves they’re doing a good job."
Sen. Bill Weber of Valley Cottage added: "Albany Democrats claim congestion pricing is to reduce traffic congestion, but at what cost? It punishes everyday people—working parents, firefighters, seniors going to doctor's appointments, and those who already struggle to make ends meet."
"For them, this isn’t just a toll; it’s another obstacle in their daily lives. Tell me, how is that progressive?" he asked.
Sen. Steve Rhoads of Nassau previously quipped that the MTA’s acronym stands for "Money Thrown Away" and said this week that his constituents who rely on trains like the LIRR have grown distrustful of the agency.
"[Lieber] has no idea what it is to be a working-class New Yorker," Rhoads said. "While affordability and safety are huge concerns for real people, they are abstract concepts for him."
Lieber was previously an executive at Silverstein Properties — recently overseeing a World Trade Center project — a transportation adviser to President Bill Clinton and Mayor Ed Koch, and a journalist for the New Republic.
He was also the MTA’s capital development officer under Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo, who still strongly supports the congestion pricing plan, recently told Fox News Digital through a spokesman that he, however, has reservations about whether now is the right time to activate the tolls – given the lack of confidence in subway safety and changes in the city since the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is undeniable that New York is in a dramatically different place today than it was in 2019, and without a study forecasting its consequences based on facts, not politics, it could do more harm than good to New York City's recovery," Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said last week.
State Sen. Alexis Weik, R-Suffolk, called the video of Lieber’s Broadway sign-reveal "a despicable show of glee and greed" and called for a financial review board to scrutinize the transit agency’s books.
In response to the slew of calls for Lieber's ouster, MTA Chief of Policy & External Relations John J. McCarthy defended the transit boss.
"Under Chair Lieber’s leadership, the MTA has added service, opened new terminals and provided record on-time performance for their constituents on Long Island and the Hudson Valley, while delivering the most reliable subway service in a dozen years," McCarthy said.
"But apparently, none of that prevents out-of-touch politicians from bloviating."