What Cuomo's Resignation Means For NYC

NEW YORK CITY — New Yorkers could be forgiven if they thought the city had two mayors: Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Cuomo never shied from exerting power over the Big Apple during his three terms. He frequently — and sometimes daily — undercut de Blasio. He pushed forward massive infrastructure projects without city approval. And, during the coronavirus pandemic's height, his decrees determined if restaurants could stay open, when the subways ran and more.

But those days are about to end — Cuomo on Tuesday bowed to pressure from a sexual harassment scandal and announced he'd resign effective in 14 days. Better that than a costly impeachment proceeding, he said, before aiming a final shot at New York City.

"The State Assembly yesterday outlined weeks of process that will then lead to months of litigation: time and money that government should spend managing COVID, guarding against the delta variant, reopening up the state, fighting gun violence and saving New York City," he said.

New York City must now contend with all that Cuomo outlined without Cuomo himself.

De Blasio, for his part, has been clear that Cuomo's scandals are actively "hurting" the city. Last week, he pinned blame for delays getting $2 billion in rent relief to New Yorkers and increasing the value of homeless vouchers on a "distracted" Cuomo.

"You know, a guy who spends 11 hours having to testify about his sexual harassment and assaults is not a guy who's focusing on fighting COVID or getting us federal aid or getting rent relief money to people who need it," he said.

Even before Cuomo's resignation announcement, the governor's diminishing power over New York City — perhaps combined with the impending end of de Blasio's time as mayor — appeared to set de Blasio free. The mayor's public appearances started to turn lighthearted, even gimmicky — a change in attitude his staff dubbed the "Summer of Bill."

Beyond de Blasio turning into an enthusiastic cheerleader for New York City, he also started to institute sweeping vaccination mandates — without the need for Cuomo's permission — designed to fight the delta variant of coronavirus. On Tuesday, de Blasio issued a short statement looking forward to working with Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who will take Cuomo's place.

“Make no mistake, this is the result of survivors bravely telling their stories," de Blasio said. "It was past time for Andrew Cuomo to resign and it’s for the good of all New York.”

A new governor

Hochul is poised to become the Empire State's first woman governor.

But as a Buffalo native, Hochul doesn't share the strong ties that Cuomo had to New York City.

Cuomo repeatedly referred to himself as a "Queens boy" and often appeared to focus most of his attention on the city.

Eric Adams, the Democratic nominee for mayor who is heavily favored to win, during the campaign often touted his ability to get along with Cuomo. He recently appeared alongside Cuomo and received the governor's support, which came with a back-handed swipe at de Blasio.

But Adams didn't hitch his wagon too closely to Cuomo.

"This is the right decision and is in the best interest of all New Yorkers," he tweeted after Cuomo announced he would resign. "I stand ready to work with incoming Governor @KathyHochul as we guide our City through these challenging times and do the hard work of leading a safe, equitable recovery for NYC."

This is the right decision and is in the best interest of all New Yorkers.

I stand ready to work with incoming Governor @KathyHochul as we guide our City through these challenging times and do the hard work of leading a safe, equitable recovery for NYC.
— Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) August 10, 2021

Attorney General Letitia James, who launched the sexual harassment probe that proved to be Cuomo's downfall, is herself from Brooklyn. She gave Hochul a vote of confidence.

"The ascension of our Lieutenant Governor, Kathy Hochul, will help New York enter a new day," she said in a statement. "We must continue to build on the progress already made and improve the lives of New Yorkers in every corner of the state. I know our state is in good hands with Lieutenant Governor Hochul at the helm, and I look forward to continuing to work with her.”

Another powerful Brooklynite — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — likewise offered his support to Hochul. He and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand had both called for Cuomo's resignation and repeatedly clashed with the governor.

"There is no place for sexual harassment, and today’s announcement by Governor Cuomo to resign was the right decision for the good of the people of New York," Schumer said in a statement. "I have full confidence that Lt Governor Hochul will establish a professional and capable administration."

Hochul — and New York City — will inherit a slate of unfinished projects and potential political messes started by Cuomo.

MTA's ongoing shakeup

Here's another area New Yorkers could be forgiven a little confusion: the MTA is the state's, and thus Cuomo's, ultimate responsibility.

Cuomo often appeared to deny he ran the MTA when problems arose with the transit agency. But his heavy hand in its operations is evident from the top.

The MTA is undergoing a Cuomo-driven leadership shakeup that seeks to split its chair and CEO role from one position into two. Sarah Feinberg, who headed city's transit agency and became a familiar face during the coronavirus pandemic, is waiting in the wings for state lawmakers to approve the split, which will make her board chairwoman alongside Janno Lieber, who currently holds the position along with CEO.

Both Feinberg and Lieber were close allies with Cuomo — but the same could not be said for Andy Byford.

Byford, the MTA's beloved former "train daddy," headed city transit before Feinberg and draw praise for looking to modernize the system. But he eventually stepped down after clashes with Cuomo.

After Cuomo's resignation, Byford cast shade on the governor in a statement to THE CITY.

“I hope that, going forward, the MTA will be given the leeway it needs to deliver New Yorkers the modern, fully accessible transit system that Fast Forward promised,” Byford told THE CITY. “And that can now definitely become a reality."

Massive unfinished projects

Cuomo's penchant for massive projects almost goes without saying — and he could still significantly reshape New York City even out of office.

A swath of Midtown surrounding Penn Station soon could see Cuomo's proposed "Empire Station Complex" arise. And federal officials recently gave Cuomo's proposed AirTrain from Willetts Point to LaGuardia Airport the green light.

Both projects face significant local opposition.

The Empire Station project is bypassing the city's usual land use review process. Community board members raised red flags because the project also included plans to develop nearly 10 new skyscrapers.

Along with a Penn Station expansion, the development fits into Cuomo's ambitious plan to transform Midtown West by replacing Port Authority Bus Terminal, extending the High Line and opening a new park on Pier 76, among other projects.

The LaGuardia AirTrain project likewise has been assailed as a "$2 billion boondoggle with few transit benefits being driven solely by the governor's whims," as put by Benjamin Kabak, editor of the transportation website Second Ave. Sagas, in a Streetsblog op-ed.

The proposal would take airport-bound passengers from Manhattan past LaGuardia from a new station at Willets Point. Some transit experts also argued the project will actually increase travel times for passengers.

With Cuomo gone, it remains to be seen how, or if, the projects progress.

“It is not yet clear how Governor Cuomo’s announcement will impact New York’s infrastructure projects, including Penn Station redevelopment and the LaGuardia AirTrain, but we look forward to working with Governor Hochul to ensure that New Yorkers receive the best return on their investment," Renae Reynolds, executive director of Tri-State Transportation Campaign, said in a statement.