MTA boss Janno Lieber passes the buck on congestion pricing exemptions for FDNY — tells firefighters to take it up with city instead
MTA honcho Janno Lieber passed the buck on congestion pricing exemptions for the FDNY — telling firefighters on Friday to take up their grievances over the new $9 toll with the city instead.
During an appearance on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show,” the Metropolitan Transportation Authority chairman and CEO rebuffed alarms from firefighters about having to pay the tax while on duty.
“If the firefighters are being told to drive in instead of taking mass transit, the employer has to pay you for the use of that car,” Lieber said.
He advised New York’s Bravest to take the matter up with their “employer,” adding that the MTA “is not the right place to adjudicate these specifics of individual contractual arrangements.”
Fire unions spoke out against the contentious toll just as drivers began getting charged for entering Manhattan below 60st Street on Sunday.
Union officials warned the toll could dangerously delay FDNY response times with firefighters leaving their personal cars at home when reporting for duty to avoid paying the outrageous commuter tax.
Those vehicles are regularly used to shuttle firefighters from their detail to other firehouses to plug gaps in staffing.
“Who uses what car when, and what employers’ instigation, that’s not our job. They ought to be in a collective bargaining agreement, and I respect their concern,” Lieber said on WNYC.
Union officials slammed Lieber over what they called an “appalling” lack of understanding of the work of the FDNY.
“The fact that he, the MTA and the state don’t understand the work that we do for the system is appalling,” Andrew Ansbro, the president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, told The Post.?
“This exemption would allow firefighters to move across the congestion pricing zone in their personal vehicles for the betterment of the city and the MTA.”
Uniformed Firefighters Officers Association President Jim Brosi clapped back at Lieber over his failure to help the FDNY prepare for the hated plan.
“Despite having six years to help the FDNY prepare, we are pleased that Janno Lieber had some time between celebrations to research our collective bargaining agreement,” Brosi told The Post.
“Had he looked closer, however, he would have seen how much firehouse staffing is dependent on the use of personal vehicles,” Brosi added. “It is odd that the Chairman can have such absolute power over the streets of this great city, but then suddenly be so powerless when those decisions have negative consequences for public safety.”
The FDNY referred The Post to City Hall for comment.
“Ensuring public safety is a top priority for the Adams administration. We are aware of UFA’s concerns, and we are discussing these matters directly with the union,” said Mayor Eric Adams’ deputy press secretary, Liz Garcia, in a statement.
— Additional reporting by Desheania Andrews
