New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that she spoke with President-elect Trump on Thursday to “reaffirm” their potential to collaborate on key issues, particularly in areas like infrastructure where the state is heavily dependent on federal assistance.
The conversation took place just one day after Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James held a tense press briefing in which James vowed to “fight back once again” against any Trump administration efforts, vowing to safeguard the rights of New Yorkers and uphold the rule of law.
“It was a very cordial call, and listen, I said I’ll work with anybody,” Hochul remarked during a post-election political event in Puerto Rico on Friday, as reported by Politico. She emphasized that it was only fitting to congratulate the election winner and extend the courtesy of cooperation.
“I basically just reaffirmed there are areas we can work together, like infrastructure, where we rely on federal money, and he seems to share my priorities,” she continued.
New York is counting on federal funding, specifically through the CHIPS and Science Act, to support a semiconductor manufacturing plant near Syracuse. The plant’s future was uncertain after Speaker Mike Johnson suggested Republicans might move to repeal the law, though he later revised his statement. This plant, operated by Micron, could potentially create 50,000 jobs in Central New York, according to Politico.
Additionally, the state plans to extend the Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, with Hochul highlighting the critical need for federal funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and for modernizing Penn Station, the nation’s busiest transit hub, which has become overcrowded with the city’s homeless population. Hochul has previously referred to Penn Station as a “hell hole.”
The expansion of Penn Station involves demolishing several city blocks and could cost up to $17 billion, according to the New York Post. This project is designed to run alongside the $16 billion Gateway Project, which will create a new tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey while also refurbishing Penn Station’s outdated tracks that were severely damaged during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
“I want Penn Station to be something that we’re all proud of. I said it can be beautiful. And he agreed,” Hochul stated, referring to her conversation with Trump.
The possibility of federal support for the MTA could depend on Trump’s backing, while Hochul has suggested implementing congestion pricing to generate an additional $1 billion for the MTA. However, Trump has previously promised to eliminate congestion pricing.
This controversial plan was postponed by Hochul earlier in the summer, just weeks before it was set to be enforced. The proposal would impose a $15 toll on vehicles entering Lower Manhattan. The MTA had also received over $15 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funding.
{Matzav.com}