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NY Gov. Kathy Hochul orders MTA to stand down over NYC Marathon $750K toll fight
NY Post ^ | 04/04/2024 | Carl Campanile and Emily Crane

Posted on 04/04/2024 1:02:36 PM PDT by ChicagoConservative27

Stand down — and fix this mess!

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday nixed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s efforts to squeeze a $750,000 toll from the organizers of the New York City Marathon — after The Post highlighted widespread outrage over the “cash grab” move.

“I’ve directed the MTA to fix this mess and allow the marathon to move forward as it always has,” Hochul said in a statement to The Post.

“The marathon is an iconic symbol of New York City’s tenacity and resilience that unites communities across the five boroughs each fall.”

Hochul’s decision to thwart the MTA’s latest scheme came a day after it was revealed the transit agency had been at war with marathon organizers for several months over shutting down the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge during the world-famous race.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hochul; marathon; mta; nyc
Saving her butt
1 posted on 04/04/2024 1:02:36 PM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Only because the masses noticed.


2 posted on 04/04/2024 1:07:35 PM PDT by brownsfan (It's going to take real, serious, hard times to wake the American public.)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

I’m with the MTA here.

New York Road Runners (the organization that puts on the marathon) has an annual revenue of over $100,000,000. They make $15+ million just on entry fees for this event alone.

Why should the taxpayers and toll-payers of NYC subsidize someone who shuts down one of their bridges for a day?


3 posted on 04/04/2024 1:17:35 PM PDT by verum ago (I figure some people must truly be in love, for only love can be so blind.)
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To: ChicagoConservative27
(From the article) : " .. the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s efforts to squeeze a $750,000 toll from the organizers of the New York City Marathon
— after The Post highlighted widespread outrage over the “cash grab” move."

$750,000 is "chump change", given the notoriety, over night lodging expenses, restaurant and food goods, and tourist trade which will be spent during the marathon.
Hochul made the wize and economical decision here in stomping down the MTA request given the income derived from this marathon which atracks international attention.

4 posted on 04/04/2024 1:17:54 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt
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To: ChicagoConservative27

“Saving her butt”

Not unless they can come up with that $750K. Inflation caused by the Biden administrtion, the gifts given to the illegals to show their solidarity to the party, and making businesses bail by taxing and lack of crime prevention, are some, I believe, of the major reasons they aren’t getting that “rah rah team” effort this year. So fix this mess is not the way to get it done. If they don’t have the cash, then they will have to either increase their volunteers, which number over 10K already, or use tax money. And then try to tell the public where it is going and where it came from.

wy69


5 posted on 04/04/2024 1:18:16 PM PDT by whitney69 (yption tunnels)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

“Saving her butt”

Not unless they can come up with that $750K. Inflation caused by the Biden administrtion, the gifts given to the illegals to show their solidarity to the party, and making businesses bail by taxing and lack of crime prevention, are some, I believe, of the major reasons they aren’t getting that “rah rah team” effort this year. So fix this mess is not the way to get it done. If they don’t have the cash, then they will have to either increase their volunteers, which number over 10K already, or use tax money. And then try to tell the public where it is going and where it came from.

wy69


6 posted on 04/04/2024 1:18:16 PM PDT by whitney69 (yption tunnels)
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To: verum ago

Because the wine moms and yoga-latte girlfriends love the marathon. They matter. The little people don’t.


7 posted on 04/04/2024 1:19:24 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: verum ago
“Why should the taxpayers and toll-payers of NYC subsidize someone who shuts down one of their bridges for a day?”

Cause they're special just like the bicyclists here in colorado

8 posted on 04/04/2024 1:21:14 PM PDT by dljordan
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To: verum ago

You are not by yourself!

“I’m with the MTA here.”

‘New York Road Runners (the organization that puts on the marathon) has an annual revenue of over $100,000,000. They make $15+ million just on entry fees for this event alone.’

‘Why should the taxpayers and toll-payers of NYC subsidize someone who shuts down one of their bridges for a day?’


9 posted on 04/04/2024 1:22:02 PM PDT by Grampa Dave ((“Surrender often means wisely accommodating to what is beyond our control!” — Sylvia Boorstein.))
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To: brownsfan

Must be an election year


10 posted on 04/04/2024 1:23:08 PM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Tens of thousands of runners (50k +) and tons of foreign runners among them with tons of hotel rooms and restaurants, bars, stores and tourist sites that get marathon induced revenue for more than just the day of the marathon. And, that includes family members & friends who come with their runner, if just to drop them off and then meet them after they finish.

I have a nephew that has done the marathon the past few years. We all usually make a day of it in Manhattan, and sometimes the nite before or the nite after. Anyone with the crowds trying to meet their runners west of Central Park after the race knows the total people involved is many many times more than the number of runners.

The MTA was stupid trying to make a money grab off the Marathon.


11 posted on 04/04/2024 1:27:02 PM PDT by Wuli (ena)
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To: Wuli
The MTA was stupid trying to make a money grab off the Marathon.

It's expensive running a crime infested subway where people don't have to pay.

12 posted on 04/04/2024 1:28:07 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: Wuli
Tens of thousands of runners (50k +) and tons of foreign runners among them with tons of hotel rooms and restaurants, bars, stores and tourist sites that get marathon induced revenue for more than just the day of the marathon. And, that includes family members & friends who come with their runner, if just to drop them ok off and then meet them after they finish.

I have a nephew that has done the marathon the past few years. We all usually make a day of it in Manhattan, and sometimes the nite before or the nite after. Anyone with the crowds trying to meet their runners west of Central Park after the race knows the total people involved is many many times more than the number of runners.

Either one of my daughters has done the marathon the last five years. We always make a weekend of it. Multiply that by 40K and that’s a big deal… even for NYC.

13 posted on 04/04/2024 2:11:54 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man.c)
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To: ChicagoConservative27

Why did they do this now? They’ve been having this race for over 30 years!


14 posted on 04/04/2024 4:01:24 PM PDT by jocon307
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