Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) held a roundtable and announced new efforts to improve the maternal health crisis.
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NewsTranscript
00:00I've been to many, many times as Lieutenant Governor, but my first official visit with
00:06you as the Borough President, and I want to thank you for the extraordinary leadership
00:10that I've seen from you, literally from your first days in office.
00:15That horrific fire where we lost so many innocent lives is still seared in my mind, the smell
00:21of the smoke and the anxiety of people.
00:24I came down immediately and you were so, literally on the job for such a short time, and you
00:29were out there with the people, you were out there just taking care of people.
00:31It was such a powerful visual reminder of how leadership matters in a crisis, and you
00:37were there.
00:38So we've deepened our relationship over many years, and I want to thank you for what you're
00:42doing.
00:43To all of you joining us here today, our elected officials who I just had meetings with, thank
00:49you for joining a conversation about something that maybe it takes the first mom governor
00:56to understand how critically important it is for moms and babies to have a healthy pregnancy
01:06and birth.
01:07And it's something that other communities can take for granted, but there are others
01:13like the Bronx, which has the highest mortality rate overall, but highest infant and maternal
01:20mortality rate of the other boroughs, nine times more likely to die in childbirth if
01:27you're a woman of color.
01:29You can't talk about these and hear about this and not feel compelled to take action
01:35immediately.
01:37So we have worked hard on this issue.
01:40I have prioritized, and I've talked about it in my State of the Union address, elevating
01:45this crisis which has unfolded, and we have worked hard to find strategies, and we just
01:53had a wonderful tour with Omari Millett, the president and CEO of the Morris Heights Health
01:58Center.
01:59I want to thank you and your really passionate team, you know, the head of OBGYN we just
02:03took a tour with and walked and saw the people that are so committed, you know, to support
02:08people like you.
02:09I want to thank you for all you do, doing such tremendous work.
02:12And I just want to say sometimes it's about the people that matter, sometimes a little
02:18extra money matters and can help, and so I also want to announce while you're sitting
02:23here to close the gap you need to expand the Morris Heights Health Center and bring back
02:29the services, $8 million for you today.
02:41I will say Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia, even when I'm marching with her in the Puerto
02:47Rican parade, all she kept talking about was the need to get this done.
02:52So she's been passionate, Councilmember Sanchez as well.
02:55Your advocacy has been powerful, but just going there today I said, no, we need to do
03:00this.
03:01We need to get this funded, and I want to thank you for all you've done.
03:03We'll build a maternal health center of excellence.
03:07I want others to look at what we do here as the model of how we protect moms and babies
03:14and give them world-class health care that they deserve.
03:18So thank you.
03:19And we're going to continue.
03:20And here's to help them, we've got another proclamation here.
03:25This is, and I'll sign this too because why not, this is a standing order for our second
03:35announcement that is being actually issued by the Commissioner of Health today.
03:39And what this does is it says, it now expands, I announced this, but we had to do this officially,
03:45now expands doula services by allowing people to use Medicaid dollars to pay for these services.
03:56They don't need a referral anymore.
03:59They don't have to worry about the cost.
04:01And doula services, which have really stepped up into the forefront as a service that is
04:07indispensable for women to make sure that they have an advocate when they go to their
04:12appointments and ultimately child, but there's someone who understands it's culturally competent
04:16as people understand the stresses and someone who's been through it themselves often.
04:21So I'm going to sign this here right now and make this real official and say that going
04:27forward, we're going to make sure that we are doing everything we can.
04:31And lastly, I want to talk about something that as someone who had my own babies and
04:35had the luxury of being able to leave work to go for doctor's appointments, there are
04:40many women who do not have that.
04:42If your minimum wage or working hourly or just any time off work means less money for
04:49you, that is an injustice.
04:53So we'll be the first state in the nation to allow for 20 hours of paid prenatal care
05:01so our moms can get to the appointments and that is now official as well.
05:05So getting rid of copays and a lot of other areas, but that's enough for me.
05:14I want to hear from you because as I continue to spend my time out in communities like this
05:19and tour facilities and talk to providers and the people that care so deeply about this,
05:24there's always another idea.
05:26There's always something else we can do.
05:27We have a doula directory now because of conversations like these.
05:31We're making sure that we take care of so many different areas, but I'm going to listen
05:35now to hear what people have on their minds and I'm going to take very good notes.
05:39But also, borough president, let's hear what's on your mind as well and thank you again for
05:43hosting this.
05:44I know this is such an important cause for you.
05:48You've talked about it nonstop and you are one of the reasons why we are championing
05:53this in Albany because your voice has been heard.
05:56Thank you.
05:57Thank you.
05:58Thank you.
05:59Thank you, Governor.
06:00We appreciate your leadership and your commitment and dedication as the first mom governor in
06:04the state of New York.
06:05It gives me a great deal of pride and privilege to sit with you as the first female borough
06:10president here in the Bronx.
06:12And I welcome you here to Bronx Borough Hall and official bienvenidos, buenos dias a todos,
06:17to each and every one of you on behalf of my team, the office of the Bronx Borough President,
06:22our Deputy Borough President, Janet Peguero, our Chief of Staff, Justin Cortez, and the
06:26entire office.
06:27We are excited to welcome you and your team here to Borough Hall.
06:31We have not had a governor visit Bronx Borough Hall in quite some time.
06:34So not only is this historic, but it's profound for a reason because we are aligned together
06:40in our overall goals to make sure that we provide comprehensive maternal healthcare
06:46for all women and birthing individuals in the state of New York.
06:50And the Bronx is a significant part of that.
06:53And to the members of our Bronx Maternal Health Consortium, our co-chairs, and all the members
06:59who are here, to my colleagues in government, Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia, Councilmember
07:04Pierina Sanchez, welcome.
07:07Thank you for being a part of this important conversation as leaders and women and women
07:11of color and really everyone.
07:14Today is really a great day where we take a bold step in our collective work to ensure
07:20that all women, and certainly women of color, have access and opportunity.
07:24When we talk about balancing the scales of healthcare, this is from an equitable perspective
07:31and a justice perspective.
07:33For too long, too many women, black women, Latina women, have been denied access to prenatal
07:40care, to comprehensive healthcare when it comes to birth workers, doulas, and midwives.
07:46And we've seen the data, we've seen the statistics, and we've somehow found in the midst of all
07:52of that pain, we've found purpose.
07:54And as the borough president serving for three years now, we've had many roundtables and
07:59we've worked with the Bronx Health Maternal Health Consortium that we really inherited
08:03from my predecessor, Ruben Diaz, Jr.
08:05I acknowledge the Diaz administration for starting this conversation.
08:09And now this is deeply personal.
08:10We are the only borough in the city of New York that is led by two women, and two women
08:15of color.
08:16So this is personal for us as leaders in this borough, in this county.
08:20We want to make a difference and set our families up for success and not failure, giving them
08:26access to prenatal care, to doulas, working with many of our credible messengers like
08:31all of you, community-based organizations, healthcare partners that are on the ground
08:36every single day.
08:38And many times you're doing this work with very little recognition and very little government
08:43support.
08:44That is changing as a borough.
08:47We have a governor that recognizes your work every day and is giving you this moment to
08:52amplify your work and to talk about everything that you're doing as a collective.
08:58So I'm so grateful that not only are you here, but you're signing this order as a legislative
09:03body, as a former member of the state assembly.
09:05I remember days in Albany, and the state assembly and state senate has really been
09:10a part of this work in terms of ambition and goals.
09:13And again, I bring up equity again, because it is unacceptable, it's an injustice if any
09:18woman in our state is denied access.
09:21And Medicaid access and raising the reimbursement rates for our doulas was an incredible effort,
09:29and I want to recognize that as well, that was achieved last year.
09:32So a lot of great things are happening in the Bronx, and most importantly, I want to
09:35make sure that all of you get recognized for the work that you are doing.
09:39Because at the end of the day, we are here to save lives.
09:42We are here to make sure that women and birthing individuals have safe deliveries as they become
09:47mothers, which is truly a blessing, and it's really an honor to serve and to work with
09:52all of you as we move this conversation forward.
09:55We've been talking collectively as a consortium about building out a birthing center for quite
10:00some time.
10:01It was a part of my first state of the borough that we had, and we've been working towards
10:05an executive report as well as a birthing report.
10:08We've been working with healthcare providers and professionals.
10:11We've been working with many of you on how we can look at creative and innovative approaches
10:16to maternal healthcare, knowing that we have the data to prove that our work is not only
10:22worthy and significant, but it has made a difference.
10:26And we also do this in honor of those women that we have lost in our battle.
10:32We do it because we carry on their legacies.
10:35Women that look like us have died during childbirth because of pregnancy complications, and we
10:42are honoring their work, and we are making sure that their deaths are not in vain.
10:46And so I'm grateful, Madam Governor, that you were here.
10:49I'm grateful that of all the places our governor could have been, in 62 counties in the state
10:54of New York, she's here in the Bronx, because oftentimes when there are announcements made
10:59of money, of funding, the Bronx is not always leading that conversation.
11:03But we are going to lead that conversation now because we have a governor that aligns
11:09with our collective priorities.
11:11So I'm so grateful you're here.
11:12I'm looking forward to our roundtable this morning and really hearing from all of you,
11:17and thank you so much for your work.
11:19Thank you for never giving up on the Bronx, for looking at the potential that we represent
11:24and making sure at the end of this, we are working collectively together.
11:28I now want to turn this over to my amazing partner, who is about to give birth herself.
11:34As a new mom, a first-time mom, I'm so grateful that in her prenatal care, she is working
11:41with one of our doulas here in the Bronx, because she is going to be a great example
11:45for us on how we move this collective forward.
11:48And the Health and Human Services Division, our Deputy Director, Makhnoor Jara, and her
11:54team have been doing this amazing work with our policy team and everyone in the office.
11:59And so I now turn this over to our Madam Deputy Borough President, Janet DeGanis.
12:04Thank you so much, Madam Borough President.
12:05Thank you so much, Madam Governor, for loving the Bronx time and time again.
12:09Always have.
12:10Always have, and I know you always will.
12:12Your commitment speaks volumes, from economic development, the Kingsbridge Armory, to now
12:18your support around maternal health and rebuilding our anchor institutions.
12:24As the Borough President mentioned, this is no longer a theoretical crisis for me.
12:29The moment I found out that I was pregnant, I was excited but also fearful at the data,
12:35knowing that there was a target on my life, potentially.
12:39And that led me to work with the Bronx Street Birth Collective, my doula collective team
12:45that's here, Evelyn and Nicole, thank you so much.
12:47Thank you.
12:48You've been doing this work since day one, and just welcoming women, encouraging women,
12:53and saving lives.
12:54And so part of my joy was that feeling of feeling safe, and part of that was working
13:00with my doula collective, so I want to thank them for being here and for doing the work
13:04and not turning women away because of their financial status.
13:07And so that Medicaid reimbursement is really going to be transformative.
13:12You know, this is why I say the fight to end maternal mortality is a fight for life.
13:17And I believe that the measure of a society is how well it equips and protects women and
13:22children during this important life process.
13:25And so to this end, I want to extend my appreciation to you, Madam Governor, as I know that you
13:30have been a powerful advocate for New York, expecting mothers from your efforts on prenatal
13:36leave to the expansion of access to doulas.
13:40Again, this is going to be truly, truly transformative.
13:43The folks have been doing the work on the ground without that funding support, without
13:48that financial support, because we know how critical it is.
13:51And so I know that the advocates around the table will share some of that perspective
13:55with you, and I know that you will support that work.
13:59And this is only the beginning, and so we are forever, forever grateful.
14:03I am excited that my daughter gets to grow up in a world where women have been fighting
14:08and laying the groundwork for her safety.
14:10And so for that, I am immensely and deeply grateful.
14:17Good morning.
14:18We just had a really impactful conversation with women who are so extraordinarily committed
14:24to the same cause we all share, which is to ensure that more women and their babies survive
14:30childbirth, pregnancy.
14:33And that is not the case here always in the Bronx, which has the highest maternal mortality
14:38rate in our city, and the numbers are just uncountable.
14:42So I want to thank Borough President Vanessa Gibson, a friend for many, many years, for
14:46hosting us here today and welcoming me back to the Bronx.
14:50We also have Assemblymember Tapia, who was with me yesterday at the parade.
14:55We marched together, so proud for the Puerto Rican Day Parade.
14:59And then Councilmember Sanchez, who knows a little bit about childbirth, expecting a
15:03baby by December.
15:05So great to have them here and the individuals who stood up with us.
15:08But this is a crisis, full stop.
15:13This is an issue that a lot of people don't talk about because it may not affect their community.
15:18This is heavily concentrated in black and brown communities, and women have three to
15:24four times higher rate of mortality than women who are not women of color.
15:29So think about that, process that.
15:32And then the question is, what are you going to do about it?
15:35I have made this one of my signature issues since becoming governor, listening to advocates,
15:40champions who are incessant about doing more to save lives.
15:45And one of them is to say, we need more assistance for these women while they're going to the process.
15:53We started a doula directory.
15:55I just announced today that our commissioner of health, McDonald, is first time ever in
16:01our state's history making Medicaid available to cover the cost of doula care.
16:05These are people who understand the experience, who are their advocates, they're their champions.
16:10And we just heard stories of how they've literally saved lives just this week because they noticed
16:15something and called the doctor and said, you have to do something about this.
16:19Bringing women into the hospitals who otherwise were told, you don't need to show up.
16:23So it's powerful.
16:24But also we need to continue funding the programs that are in place.
16:28Today we're announcing an $8 million investment in the Morris Heights Health Center.
16:32I just toured it with the CEO this morning.
16:35We're going to create a maternal health center of excellence.
16:39The Bronx deserves to have this center of excellence.
16:42It is long overdue.
16:45We have a project to start to begin in 2025 and all done by 2027.
16:49Maybe for your next children too?
16:51Okay, next.
16:52Ready for more by then?
16:54And also, we're excited about what we're doing.
16:57But the mortality rates in our country overall are staggering compared to other industrialized
17:05nations.
17:06And it's a point of great shame for all of us.
17:09That's why the state of New York will continue to lead on this issue and make sure that we
17:13focus on a place like the Bronx, which sadly has been the upper center of this crisis.
17:17But at some point, we're going to turn that narrative around with all this assistance
17:22and people will be looking to the Bronx for the model of what to do to save women and
17:27children's lives.
17:28So I want to thank our leaders for being with me here today.
17:31Happy to take any questions.
17:33Let's start with the on-topic questions about maternal mortality.
17:36Good morning, Governor.
17:37Good morning.
17:38To our distinguished elected officials here.
17:41So let's just kind of unpack what this standing order means for our viewers, kind of in late
17:46terms.
17:47Effectively, what is it now and what will it do?
17:50Does it require the presence of a doula in every pregnancy setting?
17:56So kind of explain and unpack what the standing order means for everyday mothers.
18:01Right.
18:02This is an option for mothers.
18:03I mean, you want to have a doula assistance, a midwife, a traditional doctor, a nurse practitioner.
18:11That's the choice.
18:12But for so many, the choice was not really real because you had to pay out of cost, out-of-pocket
18:17expenses.
18:18So that took doulas right off the table.
18:21So if you're a woman on Medicaid, as of this day forward, you can now have Medicaid cover
18:28the cost and help you with that to have a doula.
18:31And again, this doula directory, it may not sound like a lot, but a lot of women say,
18:36well, what is a doula?
18:38How do I find one?
18:39There is now going to be a statewide directory that helps access it.
18:42So more word of mouth in communities like this, when you have elected leaders elevating
18:46this, I cannot tell you what the difference is.
18:49The stories we heard, a 30-year-old woman being treated last Friday, had a baby, went
18:54home.
18:55On Monday, she's not feeling well.
18:56She's feeling sick.
18:57The doctor says, I'll see you at the next visit in a few days.
19:01She calls her doula, who says, I'm coming over.
19:04That doesn't sound right.
19:07Last night, she was admitted to the ICU and spent a week there, and they saved her life.
19:11She ended up having congestive heart failure.
19:13That's what I'm talking about.
19:15That level of care that could have resulted in a tragedy if it wasn't there, and it was
19:20there, and I want to make sure that we are helping have that covered.
19:24That's the story that moves my heart.
19:29Good morning, everyone.
19:30So I understand that the 8 million into the health center is very important, the doula
19:33directory, but we know this is very much a systemic issue.
19:36So how do you hit training at the base of it at our hospitals where there are still
19:41people not being heard, and is it about retraining, and how do you get into the hospitals to make
19:46sure people are fully competent when it comes to treating women of color?
19:49It also means getting more people of color into the health care professions, and that's
19:54the baseline of what we're talking about.
19:56We're talking about one of your great initiatives, getting more people into STEAM programs.
20:00We focus on concentrations on health.
20:03We're going to be talking about how to make that happen here in the Bronx.
20:05So it's getting the pipeline of individuals who will be culturally competent to be in
20:10those health care jobs, but also you write about the training in the medical schools.
20:14We need to be peeling back about what they're learning and how the training is going on
20:19because women in the next room just told us that their clients have very different care.
20:25A young man whose wife lost her life, Amber Rose.
20:33He said when people walked in and saw that she was an unmarried black woman, they thought
20:40the level of care deteriorated greatly, and he was right.
20:45He's now raising a child by himself.
20:48So there are many points as well as the overall physical health.
20:53A lot of these women don't start out with the best of health in the first place.
20:57It comes into nutrition, stress.
21:00There's a lot of stress in life for people just trying to make ends meet.
21:03Their housing, the environmental experience.
21:06So you take individuals who may not start out perfectly healthy, and then you throw
21:11on a pregnancy on top of it, which does incredible things to your body.
21:17Hormones up and down.
21:19Physically you're exhausted.
21:20You still have to take care of your other children.
21:21You still have to take care of your job.
21:23So all of us can relate to that.
21:25So that is the urgency with which we're bringing to this cause, and you're absolutely
21:30right about looking at the training and medical schools, too.
21:33Anything else on maternal health before we go?
21:36Okay, great.
21:37We'll have time for a couple off, starting with Andrew.
21:39Governor, two questions on congestion pricing.
21:43One of them is, the MTA says that modernization, electric buses, and even
21:48ADA stations likely now have to be deprioritized because of the missing
21:53anticipated revenue.
21:55What do you say to residents of the Bronx who've been waiting for an
21:59elevator at Burnside Avenue, for example, now hearing not from advocates,
22:04not from Twitter, they're hearing from the MTA.
22:06That's now deprioritized.
22:08What do you say to that?
22:09I say to this, I made the decision to not go forward, to pause at this time,
22:14because I don't think New Yorkers, based on what I've heard from people
22:18all over the city and the advocates and the people who are deeply concerned
22:22about what it'll do to our economy, that a $15 toll at this time is too much.
22:28I need to take immediate action to pause this now.
22:31But we've been in conversations.
22:33I also committed that those projects will go forward.
22:36But to assume that the only funding source had to be congestion pricing
22:41shows a lack of imagination about understanding other opportunities
22:46to fund these projects.
22:47I am committed to these projects.
22:49I have told everybody I'm committed to these projects.
22:52I've had the conversations with the leaders about these projects
22:56before they left town, and they may be coming back.
22:58But we will take care of this.
23:00And so I understand the level of concern at this time.
23:05But I, as the governor of the state of New York,
23:08am committed to continuing those projects with alternative funding.
23:13That is being worked out with the legislature.
23:15I gave them a number of options.
23:17Those conversations are very much alive and ongoing.
23:20And it will be resolved.
23:22And just as a quick follow-up,
23:23in your recent international speeches,
23:25it's been reported that you had some pro-congestion pricing language
23:29that you decided to take out at the last minute.
23:32The question being,
23:33if you knew you were going to call for this pause a couple of weeks ago,
23:37why not do it a couple of weeks ago to give the legislature more time?
23:40It gives you options to get closer to that date.
23:44I mean, we've been monitoring a lot of information,
23:46a lot of data points about the economic recovery.
23:51Starting in December, for example,
23:53we thought that this year inflation was going to be lower,
23:56that more people would be back on the subways,
23:59that we would have more buildings and have individuals.
24:02There are still many businesses that stress
24:05that their employees will opt out and stay home and work remotely
24:09or go to another job or even go to another state.
24:12There are a lot of other options for people that weren't there in 2019
24:16when this law was first put forward.
24:18Many, many factors.
24:20I have had conversations with the leadership.
24:23The timing was to do something before the legislature left
24:27and before June 30th.
24:29I wanted to reserve the right to continue studying this,
24:33considering our options, hearing from people,
24:36and that's exactly what I did.
24:37Juliet?
24:38Yes, Governor.
24:39Hi, good morning.
24:40When you say an indeterminate pause,
24:43what is your timeline for that?
24:45Would that involve necessarily rejiggering congestion pricing
24:50to shrink the fee or shrink the time that it's applicable?
24:55Or would you consider wiping it out altogether
24:58and then giving New York City funding for programs
25:01to address congestion?
25:03No, there's a big difference between a pause and elimination.
25:07Elimination was an option.
25:10I said I'm committed to congestion pricing.
25:14We have to find some way to bring in measures
25:17to ensure that we reduce congestion in our city.
25:20We also have to be concerned about the collateral impacts
25:23in other communities as well.
25:25That's what I hear about when I'm in the Bronx.
25:28So I want to take a look at this.
25:31And I'm very sensitive to the passion behind a lot of people
25:35who worked hard on this and thought this was the only answer.
25:38I have a perspective that says there are other ways to deal with this.
25:42So funding will be there.
25:44We'll continue congestion mitigation.
25:46And at this date, it all will be resolved at a future time.
25:50But a pause was necessary because otherwise,
25:53this toll would have started being collected June 30th.
25:56That's why the pause gives us the opportunity to meet
25:59with the leaders of the legislature and others
26:02and move forward with a different solution.
26:05So all options are on the table for future conversations.
26:11All right. Bobby and Darlene.
26:13Governor, you have or there is a fundraiser scheduled for tomorrow
26:17to benefit you that's being held by the Creator New York.
26:20No, there's not.
26:22There's no fundraiser from the Automobile Association?
26:25No.
26:27Because there was flyers that said there was a fundraiser.
26:30And obviously, people might be led to the conclusion
26:33that this is a decision you made to benefit donors like the Automobile Association.
26:37No, I will not be attending a fundraiser with auto dealers.
26:40I have been very supportive of transit.
26:43And anybody questions that, look at what I did last year
26:46when I was heralded by the media for being the person
26:49who saved the MTA one year ago.
26:51It was heading off the fiscal cliff.
26:54And no one thought that I would be able to figure out
26:57an array of solutions that kept it literally on track.
27:01So let's just look at the whole record.
27:04No one can question my support for public transportation.
27:07I'm focusing on public safety in there.
27:10I've been focusing on cameras.
27:12I've been focusing on announcing new project lines.
27:15Second Avenue Subway.
27:17Interborough Express I want to get done.
27:20I want to make sure we get through Metro North stations here in the Bronx.
27:23Those are all issues that I have promoted.
27:26Others have not even addressed them and said they want them to happen.
27:29I have.
27:31So let's just look at the record on balance
27:35No one can question my commitment because it is strong.
27:38It is strong.
27:41Hi. Thank you again.
27:44So on congestion pricing, conversely there is a school of commuters
27:47Long Island, New Jersey, Westchester
27:50who have always felt there may have been some kind of glitch
27:53that may have prevented it from beginning.
27:56You mentioned the lack of imagination with the MTA and its leadership.
27:59There have been public-private partnerships
28:02with other transit authorities
28:05maybe not transit authorities but toll roads
28:08and the skyway in Chicago, the Indiana toll road.
28:11What has been your directive or any conversation with the MTA leadership
28:14about a public-private partnership
28:17that might help fund this shortfall?
28:20And more importantly, have you spoken to Jan O'Leaver?
28:23Where is he? Why haven't we seen him?
28:26I will tell you this and you need to correct the record
28:30I did not say there was a lack of imagination at the MTA.
28:33I said we do not suffer from a lack of imagination
28:36to be able to solve the funding issue.
28:39I support what they are doing.
28:42I spoke to Jan O'Leaver yesterday
28:45and he has been working hard with me
28:48particularly since this announcement.
28:51I am joined at the hip with the MTA
28:54on all of their projects going forward.
28:57That is not refutable at all.
29:00I am just simply telling those who are asking questions today
29:03who need to know the answer right now
29:06that the MTA was not able to collect congestion pricing
29:09until it started.
29:12They would not have achieved $400 million in a year.
29:15There is no missing billion today
29:18that means everything stops tomorrow.
29:21That is not accurate.
29:25When we are talking about finding other funding sources
29:28to meet the MTA shortfall
29:31for example LaGuardia Airport, JFK Airport
29:34there have been some public-private partnerships
29:37that have been established
29:40to help the infrastructure
29:43that was really big at LaGuardia Airport.
29:46Is that a possibility?
29:49Is there a world that exists for the MTA?
29:52There is no lack of imagination here
29:55because we will find a funding source.
29:58It does not have to be a one shot.
30:01It can be multiple sources.
30:04We have the capacity and the ability to find that answer.
30:07That is why I can stand here confident
30:10that these projects will go forward.
30:13I would say this.
30:16When they see them going forward
30:19and they see the funding sources
30:22that I am working with the leaders of the legislature on now
30:25then these questions will be not relevant any longer.
30:28They will be settled.
30:31I need some time to work with the legislature on this.
30:34The leaders are committed to working with me on this.
30:37We are speaking on a regular basis about it.
30:40You are right.
30:43You are asking about public-private.
30:46Thank you.