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NUMC, state leaders rally for critical funding By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Courtesy Office of State Sen. Steve Rhoads
Health care leaders and state officials rallied in Albany on Feb. 25, calling for the restoration of state funding for Nassau University Medical Center.
Health care leaders and state officials rallied in Albany on Feb. 25, pushing for crucial state funding for the Nassau University Medical Center, the East Meadow-based hospital that is overseen by the Nassau Health Care Corporation. During the rally, which took place in the Capitol Building, Megan Ryan, the corporation’s president, chief executive and chief legal officer, joined State Sen. Steve Rhoads and other legislators to press the State Legislature to include funding for the hospital in its 2025-26 budget. “Nassau University Medical Center serves as a critical lifeline for the most vulnerable populations in Nassau County and is an irreplaceable part of Long Island’s healthcare network,” Rhoads, a Republican whose district includes NUMC, said at the rally. “Nearly 90 percent of their patients are Medicare, Medicaid CoNtiNUed oN pAge 10
Hempstead officials support feds pause on congestion pricing By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com
Town leaders and local officials are celebrating the move by President Donald Trump and the Federal Highway Administration to shut down New York City’s congestion pricing program. During a Feb. 20 news conference at Sand Hill Road Park, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin called the decision a “massive win” for working-class commuters and Long Island as a whole. “It’s a great victory for people just going to do their jobs,” Clavin said. “We’re not talking
about the titans of industry. We are talking about first responders, nurses, teachers, people who serve you coffee in the city, deliverymen and women. This is a great victory for them.” In November, Gov. Kathy Hochul re-launched congestion pricing, slapping a $9 daily toll on passenger vehicles traveling south of 60th Street in Manhattan — a 40 percent reduction from the original $15 fee. The plan had been paused in June after state officials raised concerns about its financial impact on commuters. The revised plan, approved by the MTA board on Nov. 18, took effect Jan. 5. In response,
the Town of Hempstead filed a lawsuit against the MTA and the state in Nassau County Supreme Court on Nov. 21, arguing they bypassed public comment requirements. Backed by strong opposition from Long Island’s leaders, the plan’s opponents contended that the changes constituted a new law requiring further input. On Feb. 19, the T r ump administration ordered a halt to the program, and gave New York until March 21 to put a stop to it, according to a report from the Associated Press. In addition, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the federal govern-
ment had rescinded the plan’s approval, citing the Town of Hempstead’s lawsuit. In a termination letter, Duffy called congestion pricing “a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners.” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman noted his support for the federal government’s decision at a Feb. 19 news
conference in Mineola. Blakeman recalled President Trump’s pledge to end congestion pricing at a rally last October. “President Trump is fulfilling a promise that he made at Madison Square Garden during (his) campaign,” Blakeman said. In a letter to Hochul from the federal transportation office, CoNtiNUed oN pAge 4