Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday nominated Janno Lieber to officially assume the post of chair and CEO of the MTA board, a position he’s held on an acting basis since July.
Previously the head of MTA Construction and Development, Lieber oversaw the agency’s $55 billion five-year capital program and led mega projects like the East Side Access project, the second phase of the Second Avenue Subway and expansion of the Long Island Rail Road main line, Hochul said in a statement.
“Janno is leading the MTA forward with expert management and vision,” the statement said.
Lieber faces a multitude of challenges, including an effort to get homeless people out of the subway and into shelters and cleaning up the mess that is Penn Station, crumbling infrastructure, projected budget shortfalls and rising crime across the system.
“We want to deal with issues of disorder,” he told the Post editorial board. “We want to deal with the homeless and the mentally ill homeless, and get them services and get them out of the system.’”
Hochul also nominated Elizabeth Velez to one of the six governor-appointed seats on the MTA board.
Velez is president of the Velez Organization, a construction firm started in 1972 by her father, Andrew Velez. She is a trustee of Boricua College and serves on the advisory boards of several city and state agencies, including New York City Property Tax Reform Commission, and non-profits that include Catholic Charities.
“Elizabeth will bring a wealth of invaluable knowledge and expertise to our challenges together,” Hochul said in the statement.
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