NYPD (Getty)
"[For] every dollar that comes out [of a New Yorker's] pocket that goes to fund the MTA, and frankly, we get nothing for it. It's time for congestion pricing to be repealed. It's time for an audit and a real audit that goes into the waste, fraud and abuse that exists at the MTA."
Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, closed the conference by saying the GOP caucus wants the MTA to succeed, and that harsh criticism should not be misconstrued as wishing for failure.
"[But] every time we throw them more money, we're part of the problem. If we want accountability, the easiest way is to say, ‘The spigot's turned off until you show us that you're willing to make changes with the billions of dollars that you get, then we can have a conversation about other things we can do financially.’"
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a top MTA official rejected the collective claims and criticized Martins in particular.
"The LIRR is operating with record on-time performance and crime on the subway is down 24% since last year. And the MTA has a balanced operating budget, so it’s mind-boggling how some politicians are apparently not capable of reading a budget," MTA chief of policy John J. McCarthy said.
"Mr. Martins has a track record of being wrong. He fought improvements on the LIRR, opposing the Third Track Expansion Project [in Nassau County] – a project that only moved forward when Martins left office."
"Now Mr. Martins is back in office, the project is done, and he is trying to make believe there is no improvement – meanwhile it only happened because he was out of the picture."
An MTA official acknowledged that NJ Transit does run service to Rockland and Orange counties and that it could be better, in regard to Weber's critique.
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ny-lawmakers-call-transit-chiefs-ouster-float-reforms