Senators Flanagan and Fuschillo Call For Hearings on Governor's MTA Nominee

            Senator John Flanagan (2^nd Senate District) and Charles Fuschillo (8^th Senate District) today called for the Senate to conduct expedited public hearings on Jay Walder, the Governor’s nominee to chair the Metropolitan Transit Authority.  

“From the northern Hudson Valley suburbs to Nassau and Suffolk, businesses and taxpayers are angry about the devastating impact of the MTA ‘job’ tax,” Senator Flanagan, a member of the MTA Capital Review and Planning Board, said.  “We need to sit down with Mr. Walder so we can ask him very directly what he plans to do to get the MTA back on sound financial footing, to improve MTA service, restore accountability and, hopefully, roll back the payroll tax.” 

             “The MTA plays a vital role in the lives of many of our constituents who ride on trains, buses and subways every day and right now this massive entity is without leadership,” Senator Fuschillo said.   “We should not delay the process of holding hearings to find out what Mr. Walder’s plans are for the future of the MTA, or his opinions on controversial issues such as the payroll tax and fare hikes that the Democrats pushed through to bail out the MTA, as well as the LIRR's proposed third track plan.” 

             Walder, former transit leader in London, was nominated by Governor Paterson to chair the MTA earlier this month.  To date, no hearings have been scheduled to give Senators an opportunity to question Walder.