Power & Politics: Calls to expand Metro-North service, the fight to lower auto insurance and Trump reclassifies medical marijuana
This weekend's guests include MTA Board Member Edward Valente and Middletown Mayor Joe DeStefano.
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Calls to extend Metro-North service
A group of 18 Democratic state lawmakers, including several from the Hudson Valley, joined transit advocates in calling for the MTA to revisit its Metro-North expansion plan.
First considered last year when Amtrak had to reduce its service during the ongoing East River Tunnel project work. The plan was scrapped when Amtrak restored full service in January.
Advocates want the state to consider the expansion, which would carry passengers beyond Poughkeepsie, through the Hudson Valley and up into Albany, to provide an alternative to Amtrak's services.
"We're just looking to provide a lower cost service, a reliable service and really just more service to enhance the rail," MTA Board Member and Executive Board Director of the Association of Commuter Rail Employees Edward Valente said.
In response, an Amtrak spokesperson told News 12: "Amtrak is one of several stakeholders involved in the potential Metro-North service to Albany plan, along with NYSDOT and CSX. During Amtrak’s initial research, it became apparent there were several significant challenges with bringing this plan to life, and it became redundant once we were able to restore full Empire Service to and from the region."
A CSX spokesperson told News 12 they didn't have a comment.
Governor Kathy Hochul's office referred News 12 back to a statement from January that read in part: "I have felt the enthusiasm that met our announcement to run Metro-North's high-quality service between Albany and Grand Central as a mitigation for reduced Amtrak service. With the full restoration of Empire Service, Amtrak has notified New York State and the MTA that it will no longer sanction temporary Metro-North service to Albany at this time. I remain fully committed to short and long-term proposals to bring better transit - including expanded Metro-North service if the demand exists - beyond Poughkeepsie and into the rest of the Hudson Valley and Capital Region. New Yorkers rely on high-quality rail transit like no other state, and I will always fight to save commuters time and to make service better."
The MTA referred us to the governor's office for comment.
The New York State Department of Transportation has not yet responded to our request for comment.
Combatting rising auto insurance costs
Three mayors from the Hudson Valley just returned from their trip to Albany, where they met with lawmakers and the governor to advocate for Hochul's proposals to lower the cost of auto insurance.
The group, which included Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou, Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers and Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano, spoke about the importance of the proposals to save money for everyday New Yorkers as well as the burdens these prices have taken on local municipalities.
"New Yorkers are overpaying, there's no question about it, that's factual," DeStefano said. "Fraud is too common; that's factual, especially in New York State. Local government is also absorbing a lot of those costs because of the services that we provide with fire and police."
Medical marijuana reclassification
The Trump administration recently made the move to reclassify medical marijuana.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed an order that would make it a less strictly regulated Schedule III drug, the same as Tylenol with codeine and ketamine.
Right now, it's a Schedule I drug like heroin and ecstasy. Drugs at that level are considered to have no medical use.
Reclassifying marijuana opens the door to more research on its medical properties.
Wellbridge Addiction Treatment and Research Organizational Development Vice President Steve Chassman recently spoke with News 12's Rich Barrabi on the issue.
"America is in a reckoning, whether we're talking about Kratom or legalized and commercialized marijuana, even expanded gambling, we are pitting monetary gain against public health."
