New York Gov. Kathy Hochul nominated State Operations Director Kathryn Garcia as the Port Authority’s next executive director, replacing Rick Cotton who announced he’s retiring next month.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is sticking with Chairman Kevin O’Toole, who he renominated on Nov. 20 and is awaiting a vote by the state Senate.
Hochul cited Garcia’s infrastructure work on projects including the Gateway Tunnel and the proposed Interborough Express light rail line, since her September 2021 appointment as state operations director.
“Kathryn helped us launch and advance generational infrastructure projects and rebuild our economy following the pandemic with an eye toward the future,” Hochul said in a statement.
“I am thankful she will continue serving the people of New York as executive director of the Port Authority, where she will help us continue to advance a regional economy that keeps us the global leader in job creation and growth,” she said.
Cotton called Garcia’s nomination a superb choice.
“I have worked closely with Kathryn for many years. She has deep knowledge of city and state government combined with extraordinary insight and judgment and a collaborative spirit,” he said. “I could not imagine a government executive better suited to advance the Port Authority’s standards of world-class infrastructure and get things done.”
New York’s governor appoints the authority’s executive director while New Jersey’s governor names the board chairman.
On the Jersey side, state senators on the Judiciary Committee didn’t spare the superlatives either when voting unanimously to send O’Toole’s nomination on to the full senate on Dec. 1.
That included praise for putting New Jersey on a more equal footing with New York since his August 2017 appointment.
“The work you do at the Port Authority is respected on both sides of the aisle, I support you whole heartedly,” said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco, R-Morris.
O’Toole and Cotton worked together during the past almost nine years, to move massive projects such as the rebuilding of LaGuardia Airport, once derided by then Vice President Joe Biden as resembling a third world airport, replacing Newark Airport’s Terminal A and starting work on one of Murphy’s desires, replacement of the aging airport monorail system.
Both Cotton and O’Toole were credited with continuing the reforms instituted after the Bridgegate scandal damaged the authority’s reputation.
Bridgegate involved the politically motivated closing of lanes at the George Washington Bridge, creating massive gridlock in Fort Lee after Mayor Mark Sokolich declined to endorse Gov. Chris Christie for re-election.
Garcia also served as the commissioner of the New York City Department of Sanitation, leading its 9,700 uniformed and civilian employees. During the winter of 2019, she also stepped in as the interim chair of the New York City Housing Authority.
During the pandemic, Garcia served as the COVID-19 Food Czar, delivering over 1 million meals a day. She ran unsuccessfully for the democratic nomination for New York City mayor.