De Blasio: City Will Lead Effort To Fix Struggling Subways If State Does Not
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Deteriorating subway service has opened up a new area of discord between Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
As CBS2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer reported Thursday, the mayor has vowed to propose his own plan to fix mass transit if Cuomo does not do something.
"We need a plan," de Blasio said. "We have a crisis."
And with those words, de Blasio – who has drawn criticism for having a two-car convoy drive him 12 miles to the gym – became straphangers' best friend.
The mayor demanded that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is controlled by Cuomo, do something about mass transit. If the MTA does not, de Blasio said he will use his four appointees to the MTA Board to propose his own plan.
Kramer: "What's the breaking point? What's the point where you feel that you will have to have your members step in so that you could, you know, reflect the frustrations that your constituents feel?"
De Blasio: "I don't have any specific day for you, but you know, the time is coming soon where we have to see a vision, again, for fixing the overall crisis and moving resources towards the subways."
Kramer asked the Riders Alliance, a watchdog group, if pressure from de Blasio will help with a solution.
"I mean, I think at this point, the governor should be feeling the pressure from all sides," said Nick Sifuentes of the Riders Alliance. "I mean, riders are furious right now."
Riders are furious, but they don't care if the person who fixes things is named Cuomo, de Blasio, or Mr. Magoo.
"They should work it out, you know, rather than, you know, let this be another thing that they're boxing each other on," said John Coleman of Downtown Brooklyn.
"The governor, the mayor should get involved with this, because they have the authority to get on top of the MTA," said Neal Kaufner of the Upper West Side.
"They could all do a little bit better…. I just want to go to work," said Liz B. of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
A Cuomo representative said the best way for the mayor to help was for the city to pay its "fair share of capital and operating expenses."
