MTA chairman Joe Lhota on Wednesday admitted he is “biased” against Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to fund subway fixes with a millionaire’s tax, because it would take money out of his own pocket.
De Blasio wants to tax high earners to fund fixes to the city’s crumbling subway system, while his rival Gov. Andrew Cuomo is more interested in charging for-hire vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street to generate the money.
Lhota, who lost a battle for City Hall against de Blasio in 2013 and is an ally of the governor, claimed he is neutral and said either plan is fine as long as there is money to fix the MTA.
“I’ve said numerous times I’m agnostic to what the revenue sources are,” he said after announcing a new $37 billion plan to upgrade the subways’ decrepit signaling system.
“You won’t find a quote from me against something or for something as far as revenue sources are concerned.”
Lhota went on to provide such a quote. When pressed, he admitted he doesn’t like the millionaire’s tax because it will cost him personally.
“No, because as somebody who would be subject to that tax, I am not particularly interested,” he admitted as one of his aides shouted that the press conference was over.
“I am biased.”