What Does MTA Chairman Do Besides Run The MTA? A Lot

NEW YORK, NY — MTA Chairman Joe Lhota has one of the most critical jobs in the state at a time when New York City's public transit system continues to struggle. But it's not his only gig — Lhota has nine other jobs that often conflict with his work leading the transportation authority, according to a report published Tuesday in The New York Times.

Lhota has taken just a $1 salary as the MTA's chairman so he could keep his position as chief of staff of NYU Langone Health, a massive health care network, the Times reported. Gov. Andrew Cuomo tapped him to return to the MTA's top job last June.

Lhota reportedly also serves on the board of Madison Square Garden, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the Healthcare Association of New York State and Friends of the Brooklyn-Queens Connector, which advocates for Mayor Bill de Blasio's proposed streetcar project.

In all, Lhota earned more than $2.5 million from his jobs at NYU Langone and on eight other boards, according to the Times.

Lhota reportedly argues he is not an MTA official because he is unpaid and has delegated the authority's day-to-day operations to other officials.

But the Times reported that his other obligations pose conflicts with his MTA work. He sits on the board of Madison Square Garden at a time when the MTA is planning renovations to Penn Station, which sits underneath the theater. He's also a registered lobbyist and has talked with state officials about NYU Langone issues, the Times reported.

The actress Cynthia Nixon, Cuomo's Democratic primary challenger, said Lhota is essentially running the ailing transit authority as a "part-time volunteer."

"Running, and more importantly fixing, the MTA is a full-time job," Nixon said in a statement released Tuesday. "No matter how capable someone is, you can't oversee something this monumental if you only have a couple of hours each day."

But Lhota's supporters, including Cuomo, argue he's a remarkable manager who's dedicated to getting the authority back on track. Lhota told the Times he often sacrifices family and personal time for his work commitments.

"Mr. Lhota is a tested leader who’s widely respected for his policy acumen and commitment to public service and has formed a new leadership structure that includes world-class talents," Dani Lever, Cuomo's press secretary, told the Times.

Read The New York Times' full report on Lhota's jobs here.

(Lead image: MTA Chairman Joe Lhota is pictured in October 2017. Photo by Patrick Cashin/Metropolitan Transportation Authority)