NEW YORK (WPIX)—
One day after an MTA public relations staffer shut down his interview with Chairman Jay Walder about the authority's new cost-cutting czar, PIX 11's Greg Mocker is being cheered by viewers and a big union leader."I thought the questions [to Walder] were on point," emailed one PIX 11 viewer. Another wrote, "I love the work you are doing to uncover the MTA's unethical and abusive spending of our tax dollars. In a time of layoffs and cutbacks it blows my mind that the MTA has such little regard for 'NOT' stepping up to make sure our dollars are being spent intelligently."
Mocker also heard from the general chairman of the United Transportation Union, Anthony Simon: "You're a voice that hasn't been heard in a very long time, somebody who's actually stepping up to the plate to expose the MTA for their mismanagement."
For two weeks, Mocker has been questioning the hiring of Diana Jones Ritter as the MTA's managing director since a state senate task force found she's been running one of New York's most inefficient departments, the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
Mocker confronted Walder on Tuesday. The interview was cut after Mocker asked two questions. Here's the exchange:
Mocker: "Mr. Walder, every dollar counts. How do you justify spending more than $200,000, creating a new management position for an efficiency expert?
Walder: "This is an effort that we've undertaken to overhaul our business. We're consolidating functions that position will be in charge of saving over ten million dollars for the company."
Mocker:"Does it bother you that she's accused by a state senate task force on efficiency of running a department that is inefficient? Overtime issues. Spending problems."
Walder: "I think the fact that she has been running a huge sprawling bureaucracy... She has a track record of success in doing it. That is something that attracted us... to position... She is a solid qualified public servant. She has done a terrific job and we look forward to the work she is going to do at the MTA."
Mocker: "How many other people did you interview?"
MTA PR Guy: [Cutting off Mocker] "Any other questions on topic? Thank you."
GREG WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. HE RETURNS EVERY EMAIL, AND EVERYTHING IS CONFIDENTIAL: mocker@wpix.com
