Open letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo

With the abrupt resignation of Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair and Chief Fiscal Officer Jay Walder, I am sure you will agree that there is a real opportunity to bring some much-needed reform and fiscal balance to this historically mismanaged agency. While I am confident that you are giving careful consideration to candidates - with special consideration to their ability to stand up to the corruption that has long-plagued the MTA - before announcing your appointment, I would like to respectfully suggest that the salary of the MTA chair and chief fiscal officer be reduced to no more than your own current salary. As you stated during your executive budget presentation in February, in reference to the salary of school superintendents, managing their budgets is certainly difficult but cannot be more difficult than being the governor of New York state. Furthermore, given the MTA’s request this week to incur another $6.9 billion in debt, I am sure you will agree that restoring fiscal balance to this agency must be a top priority and anything we can do, including limiting the $350,000 per year MTA chair salary, will help send a message throughout the agency that a new day has come - a day that I hope will bring fiscal solvency to the MTA, help restore and expand services, reduce fares, and most importantly, repeal the job-killing payroll tax once and for all. As we continue working together to reform New York State and restore our economic prospects, I believe this small, but meaningful step will help bring some much-needed reforms to the MTA. I look forward to your response and continuing our efforts to better the lives of New Yorkers, particularly those in Orange and Rockland counties. Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt (R,C,I-Greenwood Lake)