MA$$ TRAN$IT MONEY: New York’s creaky mass transit infrastructure stands to become a lot shabbier. Hochul’s decision to indefinitely pause the congestion pricing toll plan will require New York City mass transit officials to cut $17 billion in infrastructure projects, a report released today by Comptroller Tom DiNapoli concluded. The report by DiNapoli is the most comprehensive yet to detail the financial hit taken by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s bid to upgrade transit around the metropolitan area because of congestion pricing being shelved by the governor. Without a revenue plan in place to fund a $55 billion capital plan, the MTA may have to put off maintenance and expected upgrades, DiNapoli’s report found. Many of the projects were meant to put stations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Basic maintenance for new cars and buses has also been put in doubt. The MTA previously announced it had halted an expansion of the Second Avenue subway line as a direct result of the toll program’s pause. “The MTA’s decisions in the coming weeks and months will affect riders for years to come,” DiNapoli said. “The MTA will be forced to put off badly needed investment in expansion and improvements to the system. And there are few revenue options for the MTA. State lawmakers and Hochul have not been able to agree on alternatives to the tolls, which would have raised $1 billion a year and helped finance $15 billion in municipal bonds. The pause has also put federal matching funds at risk. Both a payroll mobility tax increase and scooping $1 billion from the state’s general fund were rejected by lawmakers days after Hochul dropped her support for congestion pricing. "Governor Hochul has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the MTA, as evidenced by the funding she secured in last year's budget to rescue the system from a fiscal cliff,” Hochul spokesperson Anthony Hogrebe said. “The governor fully understands the fiscal ramifications of pausing congestion pricing, which is why she has repeatedly made clear she remains committed to delivering the funding needed for the MTA's capital plan. New Yorkers can rest assured that they will see reliable service and continued investment in the system." In yanking support for the tolling plan, the governor cited ongoing cost-of-living concerns for New Yorkers and the shaky post-pandemic recovery. “An update on the MTA capital program following the pause on congestion pricing will be presented to the MTA Board this Wednesday,” MTA spokesperson Dave Steckel told Playbook. — Nick Reisman LOBBYISTS PUT UP BIG NUMBERS: Lobbying firms continued to spend big in New York as they seek to influence state government as they burned through a record $360 million during calendar year 2023. On primary day of all days, the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government published its report of the biggest lobbying spenders last year. The big takeaway? Health care groups and unions that aligned to advocate for a boost in medicaid reimbursement rates shelled out the most, and it paid off in some ways. The Healthcare Education Project spent $8.3 million on lobbying last year, up from $5.7 million in the prior year, topping the list. The Greater New York Hospital Association also spent $4.7 million last year, making them the third top spender. After action from lawmakers, New York’s hospitals are expected to see billions in financial support through higher Medicaid rates that were approved by the Legislature this year. But the medicaid boost is only a one-time measure. The group “American Opportunity,” which advocated for Hochul’s fiscally-moderate budget proposal and is backed heavily by former mayor Mike Bloomberg, came in second in the list. Cannabis-connected Siebert Williams Shank & Co also made the list. — Jason Beeferman
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