Gov. Kathy Hochul is telling the MTA to pump the brakes on a plan that reportedly asked New York City Marathon organizers to cough up hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover money lost from uncollected tolls, officials said Thursday.
The decision comes just a day after the New York Times reported that the MTA had demanded roughly $750,000 from New York Road Runners, the organization that runs the marathon. The agency said the charge would make up for lost revenue from the closure of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which marathoners have used to cross from Staten Island into Brooklyn during the five-borough race since 1988.
“The marathon is an iconic symbol of New York City’s tenacity and resilience that unites communities across the five boroughs each fall,” Hochul said in a statement. “I’ve directed the MTA to fix this mess and allow the marathon to move forward as it always has.”
The governor suggested the New York Road Runners consider purchasing advertising on MTA buses and trains instead.
Crystal Howard with the NYRR said organizers were “aware of Governor Hochul’s statement and appreciate her support of the TCS New York City Marathon.”
The MTA did not respond to requests seeking comment.