States, Cities and Counties
Here's a look at documents covering state government, cities and counties
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South Dakota Maintains AAA Credit Rating as State Assets Climb to $10.3 Billion
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- South Dakota has once again cemented its reputation for fiscal discipline, ending fiscal year 2025 with a significantly strengthened financial position and a ninth consecutive year of top-tier credit ratings. According to the state's 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), South Dakota's total net position rose to $10.3 billion, marking a $488.8 million increase over the previous year.
The report, released by the Bureau of Finance and Management (BFM), paints a picture of a state government operating with high liquidity and a commitment to debt-free growth.
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (TNSLrpt) -- South Dakota has once again cemented its reputation for fiscal discipline, ending fiscal year 2025 with a significantly strengthened financial position and a ninth consecutive year of top-tier credit ratings. According to the state's 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), South Dakota's total net position rose to $10.3 billion, marking a $488.8 million increase over the previous year.
The report, released by the Bureau of Finance and Management (BFM), paints a picture of a state government operating with high liquidity and a commitment to debt-free growth.A key highlight of the fiscal year was the state's ability to fund major infrastructure projects without incurring new debt. Specifically, the state allocated $593.2 million to the Incarceration Construction Fund, ensuring that large-scale correctional facility needs are met through existing resources rather than long-term borrowing.
Governor Larry Rhoden, who oversaw the closing of the fiscal year, attributed the results to the state's conservative management style. "South Dakota's fiscal integrity is the cornerstone of our state," Rhoden said. "Guided by fiscal conservatism, we will keep taxes low, limit regulation, and identify efficiencies to enhance transparency."
The state's General Fund also saw healthy growth, reaching a balance of $1.7 billion--a 4.3% increase from 2024. This growth came despite a slight $3.7 million dip in state sales tax revenue, which was more than offset by an unexpected $47 million windfall in unclaimed property receipts. While these receipts provided a one-time boost to the 2025 surplus, a new law will begin diverting such windfalls into a dedicated trust fund starting in 2026 to ensure long-term stability.
South Dakota's pension system remains a national outlier for its health, reported as fully funded. The South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS) saw its fiduciary net position increase by $350 million this year, maintaining a funded ratio of over 100%.
The 2025 ACFR also confirmed that South Dakota has maintained its AAA credit rating from all three major agencies: S&P Global Ratings, Moody's Investors Service, and Fitch Ratings. This highest-possible rating reflects the state's low debt levels and robust reserve funds, which now total $492 million, or nearly 20% of the next fiscal year's budget.
The report, a collaborative effort between the BFM and the Department of Legislative Audit, serves as the definitive audited account of the state's financial health, providing transparency for taxpayers and investors alike.
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The report is posted at: https://bfm.sd.gov/ACFR/
S.D. A.G. Jackley Proposes Legislation To Strengthen State's Digital Cryptocurrency Investigations
PIERRE, South Dakota, Jan. 7 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Jackley Proposes Legislation To Strengthen State's Digital Cryptocurrency Investigations
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley plans to introduce legislation in the 2026 South Dakota Legislature that would allow law enforcement to seize digital Cryptocurrency accounts that are part of criminal investigations.
"Cryptocurrency has become a haven for scammers, drug traffickers, and human traffickers, costing South Dakotans millions in losses and fueling online
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PIERRE, South Dakota, Jan. 7 -- South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Jackley Proposes Legislation To Strengthen State's Digital Cryptocurrency Investigations
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley plans to introduce legislation in the 2026 South Dakota Legislature that would allow law enforcement to seize digital Cryptocurrency accounts that are part of criminal investigations.
"Cryptocurrency has become a haven for scammers, drug traffickers, and human traffickers, costing South Dakotans millions in losses and fueling onlinecrime," said Attorney General Jackley. "This legislation adds 'digital currency' to South Dakota's seizure laws, giving law enforcement the tools to confiscate illicit crypto assets and disrupt criminal networks hiding behind digital secrecy."
Based on the FBI's 2024 Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3) report, in South Dakota there was $13.8 million in cryptocurrency related losses reported to IC3 in 2024 alone. The losses were the result of crime types such as romance scams, extortion, government impersonation scams, and investment scams. Victims older than 60 years old accounted for $7.8 million in reported losses for 2024.
This is the 10th bill that Attorney General Jackley will file in the legislative session which starts next Tuesday
Once filed, the Attorney General's bills can be found here (https://us7.my-proxy.com/index.php?q=n6XWoaduYWjYyp2ZmaLUzpXV2NeVYMyoq5C5xqiozNSlYKSaoKClaJyX).
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Link to the first three releases regarding AG's legislative bills can be found here:
https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=2974#gsc.tab=0
https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=2975#gsc.tab=0
https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=2979#gsc.tab=0
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Original text here: https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=2980
On Eve of LA Fire Anniversary, Calif. Gov. Newsom Announces Housing Push to Keep Survivors in Their Communities
SACRAMENTO, California, Jan. 7 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release:
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On eve of LA Fire Anniversary, Governor Newsom announces housing push to keep survivors in their communities
What you need to know: Less than a year after devastating wildfires, the Newsom Administration has funded nearly one thousand new affordable rental homes in Los Angeles communities through programs that cut red tape, save time and money, and build faster. These homes will help fire survivors and other local residents stay in their communities.
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LOS ANGELES - On the eve of the
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SACRAMENTO, California, Jan. 7 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release:
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On eve of LA Fire Anniversary, Governor Newsom announces housing push to keep survivors in their communities
What you need to know: Less than a year after devastating wildfires, the Newsom Administration has funded nearly one thousand new affordable rental homes in Los Angeles communities through programs that cut red tape, save time and money, and build faster. These homes will help fire survivors and other local residents stay in their communities.
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LOS ANGELES - On the eve of theanniversary of the 2025 Los Angeles fires, Governor Gavin Newsom announced new investments in affordable housing across Los Angeles County to help survivors rebuild their lives by creating more affordable housing in communities in the region. These investments will help keep current residents housed and prevent displacement without changing local zoning rules or neighborhood character.
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We are rebuilding stronger, fairer communities in Los Angeles without displacing the people who call these neighborhoods home. More affordable homes across the county means survivors can stay near their schools, jobs, and support systems, and all Angelenos are better able to afford housing in these vibrant communities.
- Governor Gavin Newsom
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Supporting survivors and veterans. Preserving communities
The state announced today that $107.3 million from a Multifamily Finance Super NOFA (MFSN-LA Disaster) specifically for communities impacted by fire will fund nine projects with 673 new affordable rental homes. These projects do not change local planning, zoning, and design standards, including existing rules on height, setbacks, parking, and wildfire safety. None of these projects are in the burn scar areas and will not replace destroyed homes. Rather, the projects are located in Los Angeles County cities of Los Angeles, Bellflower, Claremont, Covina, Santa Monica, and Pasadena. By creating affordable homes in multiple communities across the county, the state is instead relieving the pressure on housing supply without concentrating all new housing in burn areas.
New affordable homes will be offered first to survivors and other eligible residents through occupancy preferences and priority policies tailored to people displaced by the 2025 fires. The Governor has also issued and expanded executive actions that prioritize fire survivors on affordable housing waitlists and protect them from suddenly losing shelter as temporary assistance and insurance payouts run out.
In addition, the affordable rental housing developments awarded today will include 29 homes reserved for veterans. These homes for veterans are in addition to the 87 veteran units funded through MFSN Round 3 and 454 veteran units announced so far this year through HCD's Homekey+ program.
Keeping survivors housed without displacement
Just under a year since the Palisades and Eaton fires devastated Los Angeles communities and displaced thousands of families, the state remains focused on stability and long-term recovery for survivors. Many families are still struggling with a tight rental market, and rising costs, and this effort is aimed at making it possible for them to remain in Los Angeles County close to work, school, and support networks.
When HCD announced funding availability in February 2025, the Department shared it would develop a separate MFSN for Disaster-Impacted Areas -- informed by consultation with fire-impacted communities and other stakeholders -- to support recovery and rebuilding from the unprecedented Southern California wildfire destruction. California's Multifamily Finance Super NOFA for Los Angeles disaster-impacted areas allows developers in local jurisdictions to request funding from multiple state housing programs through a single application, cutting red tape and speeding up delivery of new affordable homes.
The broader, statewide MFSN awards announced by HCD in September 2025 included nearly $56.9 million for four projects with 301 affordable rental homes in Los Angeles County. With awards today, there is a total of 974 much-needed new affordable homes on the horizon for Los Angeles through MFSN Round 3 and MFSN-LA Disaster.
"Los Angeles residents faced a tight rental housing market even before these unprecedented wildfires forced thousands from their homes and compounded the problem," said California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss. "This Administration has used every tool at its disposal to support Los Angeles jurisdictions as they navigate long-term recovery, and these new affordable homes will help nearly a thousand households obtain stable housing."
"HCD continues to prioritize fire survivors at our properties throughout the Los Angeles region, and we look forward to seeing these additional homes brought to completion as soon as possible," said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. "We are proud to support this Administration in its focused efforts to help residents find stability in the face of unimaginable tragedy."
A countywide strategy to relieve pressure and protect neighborhoods
Los Angeles County's housing crisis is regional, and wildfires have added pressure on already scarce homes. Building more affordable housing across the county helps teachers, nurses, first responders, service workers, veterans, and fire survivors remain part of the communities they serve. In practical terms, more affordable homes mean less bidding wars for every available unit, more stability for current residents, and less risk that families will be forced out of Los Angeles County altogether.
California's investments are aimed at a straightforward goal that residents can see and feel: helping survivors and local families stay rooted in their neighborhoods, while protecting the character of communities from the Palisades to the San Gabriel Valley.
A housing approach that works
From the very first moments of the Newsom administration, the national crisis of housing and homelessness - which were decades in the making - has been addressed with ingenuity, seriousness, and expertise. No other state has devoted as much time and attention to these twin problems - and California is a leader in producing positive results. Governor Newsom is creating a structural and foundational model for America:
* Addressing mental health and its impact on homelessness -- Ending a long-standing 7,000 behavioral health bed shortfall in California by rapidly expanding community treatment centers and permanent supportive housing units. In 2024, voters approved Governor Newsom's Proposition 1 which is transforming California's mental health systems with a $6.4 billion Behavioral Health Bond for treatment settings and housing with services for veterans and people experiencing homelessness, and reforming the Behavioral Health Services Act to focus on people with the most serious illnesses, provide care to people with substance disorders, and support their housing needs.
* Creating new pathways for those who need the most help -- Updating conservatorship laws for the first time in 50 years to include people who are unable to provide for their personal safety or necessary medical care, in addition to food, clothing, or shelter, due to either severe substance use disorder or serious mental health illness. Creating a new CARE court system that creates court-ordered plans for up to 24 months for people struggling with untreated mental illness, and often substance use challenges.
* Streamlining and prioritizing building of new housing -- Governor Newsom made creating more housing a top state priority for the first time in history. He has signed into law groundbreaking reforms to break down systemic barriers that have stood in the way of building the housing Californians need, including broad CEQA reforms.
* Creating shelter and support -- Providing funding and programs for local governments, coupled with strong accountability measures to ensure that each local government is doing its share to build housing, and create shelter and support, so that people rescued from encampments have a safe place to go.
* Removing dangerous encampments -- Governor Newsom has set a strong expectation for all local governments to address encampments in their communities and help connect people with support. In 2024, Governor Newsom filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court defending communities' authority to clear encampments. After the Supreme Court affirmed local authority, Governor Newsom issued an executive order directing state entities and urging local governments to clear encampments and connect people with support, using a state-tested model to address encampments humanely and provide people with adequate notice and support.
Reversing a decades-in-the-making crisis
The Newsom administration is making significant progress in reversing decades of inaction on homelessness. Between 2014 and 2019--before Governor Newsom took office--unsheltered homelessness in California rose by approximately 37,000 people. Since then, under this Administration, California has significantly slowed that growth, even as many other states have seen worsening trends.
In 2024, while homelessness increased nationally by over 18%, California limited its overall increase to just 3% -- a lower rate than in 40 other states. The state also held the growth of unsheltered homelessness to just 0.45%, compared to a national increase of nearly 7%. States like Florida, Texas, New York, and Illinois saw larger increases both in percentage and absolute numbers. California also achieved the nation's largest reduction in veteran homelessness and made meaningful progress in reducing youth homelessness.
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Original text here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/01/06/on-eve-of-la-fire-anniversary-governor-newsom-announces-housing-push-to-keep-survivors-in-their-communities/
N.H. Gov. Kelly Ayotte Celebrates Inauguration of Laconia Mayor Mike Bordes
CONCORD, New Hampshire, Jan. 7 -- Gov. Kelly Ayotte, R-New Hampshire, issued the following news release:
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Governor Kelly Ayotte Celebrates Inauguration of Laconia Mayor Mike Bordes
On Monday, Governor Kelly Ayotte celebrated the inauguration of Mike Bordes as Mayor of the City of Laconia.
"Congratulations to my friend Mayor Mike Bordes on his inauguration," said Governor Ayotte. "As a state representative, Mayor Bordes helped support our first responders, protect our most vulnerable citizens, tackle our housing crisis, and more. I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Bordes to
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CONCORD, New Hampshire, Jan. 7 -- Gov. Kelly Ayotte, R-New Hampshire, issued the following news release:
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Governor Kelly Ayotte Celebrates Inauguration of Laconia Mayor Mike Bordes
On Monday, Governor Kelly Ayotte celebrated the inauguration of Mike Bordes as Mayor of the City of Laconia.
"Congratulations to my friend Mayor Mike Bordes on his inauguration," said Governor Ayotte. "As a state representative, Mayor Bordes helped support our first responders, protect our most vulnerable citizens, tackle our housing crisis, and more. I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Bordes todeliver an even brighter future for Laconia."
Mayor Bordes added, "It's an honor to serve the City of Laconia as Mayor. I want to thank Governor Ayotte for her leadership and for always fighting to do what is best for all of New Hampshire. I'm excited to hit the ground running and keep working with the Governor to make Laconia an even better place to live, work, and raise a family."
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Original text here: https://www.governor.nh.gov/news/governor-kelly-ayotte-celebrates-inauguration-laconia-mayor-mike-bordes
Minnesota DNR Honors Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District
ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 7 -- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release on Jan. 6, 2026:
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Minnesota DNR honors Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District
Watershed District of the Year award highlights conservation effectiveness
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has presented its Watershed District of the Year award to the Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District. DNR Conservation Assistance and Regulation Section Manager Randall Doneen presented the award at the Minnesota Watersheds annual conference in December.
"The Middle Fork
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ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 7 -- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release on Jan. 6, 2026:
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Minnesota DNR honors Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District
Watershed District of the Year award highlights conservation effectiveness
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has presented its Watershed District of the Year award to the Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District. DNR Conservation Assistance and Regulation Section Manager Randall Doneen presented the award at the Minnesota Watersheds annual conference in December.
"The Middle ForkCrow River Watershed District has been instrumental in the rock arch rapids project at Calhoun Lake near Spicer," Doneen said. "Without them, the work to modify two aging structures that control the water levels of Calhoun Lake and Green Lake might not have been possible."
The watershed district worked with the DNR, contractors and others on modifications including a modern bridge with a pedestrian walkway -- enhancing safety, connectivity and habitat quality along the Middle Fork Crow River.
The rock arch rapids will maintain necessary court-ordered water elevations while reestablishing ecological connectivity between the lakes, benefiting fish passage and habitat quality. A rock arch rapids uses stone or boulders in descending rows similar to natural river conditions.
The project is supported by $2 million in secured funding from multiple sources. This includes $1.425 million from the DNR's Get Out MORE (Modernize Outdoor Recreation Experiences) initiative and almost $600,000 in additional state bonding funds.
Doneen also noted the importance of the work done by watershed districts across the state and the value of their ongoing collaboration with the DNR and many others.
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Original text here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/news/2026/01/06/minnesota-dnr-honors-middle-fork-crow-river-watershed-district
MTA Chair and CEO Lieber Appears on NY1's Morning on 1
NEW YORK, Jan. 7 -- The New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority issued the following news release on Jan. 6, 2026:
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MTA Chair and CEO Lieber Appears on NY1's Morning on 1
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber appeared on NY1's Mornings on 1 with Pat Kiernan and Jamie Stelter to discuss congestion relief tolling and other transportation issues.
A transcript of the interview appears below.
Pat Kiernan: Ultimately it's not a big increase, it's $2.90 to $3.00, 10 cents, but every time the MTA raises the fare it renews the debate about the extent to what public Transit should be subsidized
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NEW YORK, Jan. 7 -- The New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority issued the following news release on Jan. 6, 2026:
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MTA Chair and CEO Lieber Appears on NY1's Morning on 1
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber appeared on NY1's Mornings on 1 with Pat Kiernan and Jamie Stelter to discuss congestion relief tolling and other transportation issues.
A transcript of the interview appears below.
Pat Kiernan: Ultimately it's not a big increase, it's $2.90 to $3.00, 10 cents, but every time the MTA raises the fare it renews the debate about the extent to what public Transit should be subsidizedin New York, and it also raises the debate about how wisely the MTA is spending the money that it has. Passengers took 1.3 billion subway trips last year. If you add 10 cents to each of those trips, you would come up with 130 million extra dollars. If you look at 440 million bus rides with 10 more cents, that would give you $44 million. I confess to that being very back of the envelope sort of math there. MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber is with us this morning to talk about the many transit things that happen for the New Year. Good morning.
Janno Lieber: Good morning. Happy New Year.
Kiernan: If my numbers are roughly correct, you got $170 million more to spend this year.
Lieber: 70% of the MTA budget goes to pay the workers.
Kiernan: They are negotiated pay raises already.
Lieber: Yeah, we're doing 2% per annum increases every year, steadily.
Kiernan: So, you spent the money already.
Lieber: And they're getting 3 to 3.5% annual increases based on collective bargaining and the realities of inflation. So, we're already behind when you do 2% a year. Here's the bottom line, we have in the last 10 years raised the fare by 9%, the base fare and general inflation has been 31%.
Kiernan: You feel you've done well versus the cost of living.
Lieber: Oh, yeah. And affordability is one of our principal goals, but let me just say clearly, public transit is one of the things that makes New York affordable. It's 15% the cost of owning a car. I believe it's a great bargain compared to what it means to own a vehicle, let alone paying for gas and parking and other things, so.
Kiernan: What about all the social media griping yesterday, "$6 round trip now that's not fair."
Lieber: Listen, anytime there's change, anytime anything goes up in price. But I challenge anyone to go look at what's something in their life cost in the past 10 years, and see we're, we're less than a third of what general inflation is. Everything has gone up in price. I got to pay the workers, and we've made service a lot better. We're rebuilding the system. Thanks to the NYPD it's a much safer system than it was before Covid, 14% crime down. This is a good product, and we're going to continue to make it better. I want to deliver more service, by the way. Pat, we've been delivering more service.
Kiernan: And I think that a lot of people would be happier with that than saving 10 cents on the on the fare if you were able to provide either more reliable or more frequent service.
Lieber: And the other thing I would say is that now, with the transition to full tap and ride, you got the opportunity people don't have to walk up to a MetroCard Vending Machine and calculate in their head, how often am I going to ride? You ride, after your 12th ride within any week, you automatically get a weekly. It's much fairer than forcing people to do all that calculation and only giving the discounts to people who have money in their pocket. So, we're thrilled about where we are in terms of affordability. We're going to keep pushing.
Kiernan: Mamdani Administration now in office. He made it very clear that he wanted a free bus program. You and others said, it's not that simple. Are there conversations underway with the Mamdani team, or is that something more that goes through the governor's office?
Lieber: Yeah, you know, we're going to get to that discussion in due course. Obviously, the legislative session is going to start next week, and I'm sure that issues of transit affordability are going to be on the table. I've made it very clear, I'm interested in transit affordability across all of the modes, not just bus, but subway, railroads and so on. So, we're going to have that discussion. But let me tell you, we were together with the governor and the mayor, yesterday, celebrating the incredible success of congestion pricing on its one-year anniversary. And I said it then, and I'll say it again. It's great to have a truly pro transit mayor in office, and we're going to work with him.
Kiernan: We're taking a break. I want to talk more about the congestion pricing anniversary. It is 7:28, Janno Lieber with us. We'll continue in a couple of minutes.
Commercial break
Kiernan: MTA Chair Janno Lieber back with us for an update on some of the new things in 2026 at the MTA. As you mentioned, it's been one year since congestion pricing took effect. By your account, you are, A), getting the revenue you wanted, and, B), you believe that traffic has improved in Manhattan.
Lieber: Yeah, it's not just us believing it. The New York Times yesterday did a huge spread on all of the statistics related to the congestion pricing program. And I think they said, by all metrics, it is an, is a success. Traffic is down, speeds, especially of buses, are up. People are saving 50% of the time to get through the Lincoln, the Holland Tunnel, 25% time savings in the Lincoln Tunnel. Cross streets, many of the key cross streets are moving much faster, and all of the downside concerns, air quality, you know, air quality, traffic outside the central business district, have proved not to be a problem. It's still a huge success.
Jamie Stelter: We had Susan Lee on the program yesterday, she was still pushing back on the environmental, the pollution part, and she seemed really stuck on -- like she is not going to give up on this going back to court at the end of the month about it.
Lieber: Listen, Jamie, not, no secret, we've been sued in all kinds of courts, and we won every time. I'm confident that it's going to stand up in court. But people are entitled to their own opinions, they're not entitled to their own facts. Look at the Times report from yesterday, which goes through all the data. And the data is, you know, uniformly positive. Step back for a second. We were here a year ago, people were really concerned about all these bad things that was going to kill business. You know, business in the center of Manhattan, but none of that has happened. There are more people in the central business district than there were before. Broadway had its best year. You know, I got to say that I talked before about having a pro-transit mayor. You know who's really pro-transit? Governor Hochul. She stuck it out, and her bet on the congestion pricing program, and making sure that it's a success for New York, and for our business community, and for everybody has proved to be right.
Kiernan: So why are there still those ridiculous moments of traffic in Midtown? Is it the Ubers are driving around in circles looking for their next ride?
Lieber: Listen, this is New York, there's still going to be moments of traffic. Reducing the number of vehicles by, you know, millions over the course of the year doesn't mean there'll never be a traffic moment, especially during the holiday season. But month after month, week after week, we've shown, you know, 11, 12% reduction in traffic, and that has caused speeds to pick up dramatically, especially for people coming into the city. The drivers, who are some of the people with the loudest voices against it before, a lot of them have changed their minds, and they're saying: Hey, I value my time. I'm saving a ton of time. This is valuable.
Kiernan: Okay, I got a whole bunch of other the beginning of the year topics here, one of which is this, this new policy as of this week on Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road that you can't play games with the conductor on whether you have a mobile ticket activated on your app.
Lieber: Pat, you know this. What happened is TrainTime, buying tickets on the mobile app on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North, is a huge success. People love that app on the Google Play Store, I think it gets a 4.9.
Kiernan: It's a two-step process, though, you buy the ticket, and it sits in a wallet, and then you're supposed to activate it, which makes it unusable at some other time.
Lieber: Yeah, and the problem is that people are playing games. They don't activate until the conductor shows up. In many cases, they don't even buy the ticket until the conductor shows up. So, it's slowing the conductors down. It's gaming the system. And if we're going to push to get back against fare evasion in the subway, I fair to say the railroad commuters also have to, there has to be this end to this pattern of gaming the system. Jamie and I were talking a couple minutes ago. You see it all the time, people pretending that they bought a ticket, or, you know: oh, I can't get connectivity.
Stelter: Oh, I just don't have Wi-Fi right now.
Lieber: I don't have Wi-Fi, and the conductors can't get through. So, as of now, buy the ticket just like you did before, but activate it, and if you don't activate it, you get a series of warnings, and potentially you lose access to your train, your mobile ticketing as an option. If you're gaming the system again and again and again. So, we got to do it. The railroad customers look around, and they see people playing games, including people who just run away from the conductor, and they want to know that they're not the suckers because they're paying. We got to make it fair.
Kiernan: Are you sad about the MetroCard?
Lieber: No, I think like all New Yorkers, nostalgia is part of it. We, the MTA, like, put on a lot of celebrations as Shanifah Rieara, our chief customer officer, said: it's time for MetroCard to retire, but we're going to do it with dignity. So, we did a lot of fun stuff, with promotions with Carvel and Zabar's and others. A lot of good stuff because MetroCard has been great, and it's an icon, as my son says. But mobile ticketing, I mean tap to ride, is here. 95% of New Yorkers were already using it before this, this end of year deadline, and, actually, the last couple days, it's 97%. People can still use their leftover MetroCards, we're just not selling them anymore.
Stelter: Well, people are selling them on eBay. We took these out before because I was like: how much can I get for these?
Kiernan: No one's gonna miss the trying to figure out how, if you have 14 cents left, how to get it off.
Lieber: Standing on line. You know, with tap to ride, there's so many fewer people who are standing on line to buy a card or work a vending machine that the whole system, even for those who are going to buy an OMNY card or use that option, as opposed to credit card or Google Play or Apple Pay, it's a better system for everybody.
Kiernan: Okay, I want to go on the record with an idea before we wrap up here.
Lieber: Go for it.
Kiernan: OMNY is a perfectly fine name. I don't mind it. Let's, listen, let the MetroCard fully get phased out, and then, like, a year or two from now, we just call the OMNY the MetroCard? Because I think Metro...
Lieber: You know, you're not the first person who said that to me, including some very senior people at the MTA. I will consider the Pat Kiernan initiative on that.
Kiernan: Those are smart people who work [inaudible]...
Lieber: Yeah, there's a lot of, there's a lot of, as you can imagine, there's a lot of investment in the trade press and the design and the OMNY.
Kiernan: Yeah, and you own the MetroCard stuff, too.
Lieber: We're all over it. New York 1 rules.
Kiernan: Okay, thank you, Janno.
Lieber: All right.
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Original text here: https://www.mta.info/press-release/transcript-mta-chair-and-ceo-lieber-appears-ny1s-morning-1
Del. Gov. Meyer Issues Statement on Retirement of Supreme Court Justice Karen Valihura
DOVER, Delaware, Jan. 7 -- Gov. Matt Meyer, D-Delaware, issued the following statement on Jan. 6, 2026:
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Governor Meyer Issues Statement on Retirement of Supreme Court Justice Karen Valihura
WILMINGTON -- Today, Governor Matt Meyer issued the following statement regarding Supreme Court Justice Karen Valihura's announcement that she will retire at the end of her term in July.
"Justice Karen Valihura has dedicated her career to upholding the rule of law and strengthening Delaware's judiciary, and our state is better because of her service.
"For more than a decade on the Delaware Supreme
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DOVER, Delaware, Jan. 7 -- Gov. Matt Meyer, D-Delaware, issued the following statement on Jan. 6, 2026:
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Governor Meyer Issues Statement on Retirement of Supreme Court Justice Karen Valihura
WILMINGTON -- Today, Governor Matt Meyer issued the following statement regarding Supreme Court Justice Karen Valihura's announcement that she will retire at the end of her term in July.
"Justice Karen Valihura has dedicated her career to upholding the rule of law and strengthening Delaware's judiciary, and our state is better because of her service.
"For more than a decade on the Delaware SupremeCourt, Justice Valihura has brought thoughtful leadership and sound judgment to our state's highest court. As the second woman to serve on the Delaware Supreme Court, she helped break barriers and set a powerful example of what leadership, excellence, and public service can look like for generations to come.
"As Justice Valihura prepares to step down at the conclusion of her term this July, I want to thank her for her years of distinguished public service and her lasting contributions to Delaware's courts. Delawareans are better served because of her work, and I wish her continued purpose and success in the next chapter of her public service."
For any questions or to schedule a one-on-one interview with Governor Meyer, please email govcomm@delaware.gov.
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Original text here: https://news.delaware.gov/2026/01/06/governor-meyer-issues-statement-on-retirement-of-supreme-court-justice-karen-valihura/
