Ed Day urges governor to appoint new MTA Board member

The so-called “quarter pounder” members of the MTA Board – Orange, Rockland, Putnam and Dutchess, each have one-quarter vote, but two of the four counties have not had a member on the board for a year-and-a-half, leaving only two members to vote.

Rockland and Orange have no representation and Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus says he won’t propose anyone because of the one-quarter vote structure and newly enacted congestion pricing in Manhattan.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day, on the other hand, is asking Governor Kathy Hochul to approve his nomination of Neil Cosgrove.

“Despite the timely submission of multiple names for your consideration just weeks after Frank Bonelli’s resignation in June 2023, Rockland County’s seat remains vacant,” Day said in a letter to the governor on Tuesday. “Unfortunately, in the nine months that passed from that submission to your administration’s first review of County Executive Day’s recommendations, one of our alternate candidates had passed away and circumstances changes for the other alternate, leaving him unable to serve on the board.”

Day said Cosgrove’s “steadfast commitment and passion for representing Rockland County remain as strong as ever and we do not believe we should have to submit any other names, as Neil is very much qualifies to serve and meets all criteria surrounding the law for the board.”