WHITE PLAINS – The shutdown of the economy earlier this year to prevent the spread of COVID-19, took its toll on a number of entities both public and private including the MTA and its Metro-North Railroad.
County executives from Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester are urging the president and congressional leaders to provide federal funding immediately to prevent the elimination of commuter rail service in the region.
Westchester Executive George Latimer brought the county officials together to call for the federal funding. “Our region depends on the MTA – plain and simple. The commuter rail lines carry large swaths of our workforce, both into New York City and out of it, keeping the engine of our economy going,” he said. “Allowing the MTA to wither away will create far-reaching economic consequences far greater than we are already experiencing today du8e to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Signing a letter to officials in Washington are Latimer, Rockland Executive Ed Day, Orange Executive Steven Neuhaus, Putnam Executive MaryEllen Odell, and Dutchess Executive Marcus Molinaro.