MTA Chairman and CEO Pat Foye, NYC Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg, Bus Company President Craig Cipriano, Metro-North President Cathy Rinaldi, LIRR President Phil Eng, Construction & Development President Janno Lieber and Bridges and Tunnels President Daniel DeCrescenzo today issued the following statement regarding the passage of a New York State tax exemption for families receiving the MTA’s unprecedented $500,000 COVID family death benefit, a program which began in April 2020 and has thus far led to $62 million in approved direct payments to the families of heroic MTA employees who died from COVID-19:

“We’re incredibly grateful to Governor Cuomo for his leadership including this tax exemption in the new state budget. More than 150 members of the MTA workforce have passed away due to COVID and we are forever grateful for their service and dedication to the public, which can never be repaid. These individuals held jobs that supported their families and their absence brings not just tremendous grief, but financial hardship as well. This tax exemption recognizes the tremendous sacrifices made by the MTA workforce during the pandemic and we were proud to advocate on their behalf to help achieve this important recognition of their sacrifices.”