Thursday Headlines: A Team Effort Edition

The governor is feeling heat from more than Streetsblog now.

Members of the Albany press corps are joining this outlet and several lawmakers in questioning the logic of Gov. Hochul’s auto insurance proposal.

Our reporting has found the concept of rampant fraud as a cost driver felt by insurers and passed down to policyholders to be overblown if not totally false, and that there are other methods to lower auto insurance premiums that don’t rely on leaving crash victims, whether they are cyclists, pedestrians or even drivers, without ways to seek damages after having their lives altered.

Hochul isn’t unique in seeing her position as governor as a method to push her goals as far as possible, as the state budget process is executive-driven to the degree that her budget proposal can be immovable.

But a lack of support can become the death knell of policy, as we’ve already seen with her pitch to bring robotaxis to upstate New York and Long Island. The proposal died over fears of a labor conflict.

As support for Hochul’s auto insurance proposal — which attempts to lower auto insurance premiums in the name of affordability but claims jackpot lawsuits and rampant fraud are the cause of high premiums and seeks a solution by making it harder for some crash victims to get full compensation for their pain and suffering, becomes questionable, she’s begun warning lawmakers to show “political courage.”

“I want to thank all of our representatives who spoke at our press conference for joining me,” Hochul said, “as well as countless others who are saying ‘We’re looking to government to take action, and if they don’t, we’ll see you at the polls.'”

Elections matter, but so do the memories of New Yorkers who could end up with fewer rights than they had before.

More news:

• North Country Republicans like state Sen. Robert Smullen as a successor for outgoing Rep. Elise Stefanik. (NCPR)
• A pedestrian was hit and killed by an MTA bus driver in Brooklyn yesterday, according to police. (PIX11)
• A pedestrian was hit and killed by an LIRR train operator in Freeport yesterday. (Newsday)
• Congestion pricing boosted subway ridership in New York City. (amNY)
• State Route 110 in Amityville could be safer, but state DOT is getting in the way. (Newsday)
• Metro-North commuters are getting new e-bike storage sheds in Westchester and Dutchess counties. (The Journal News)
• The DoorDash driver shot by the Chester highway supervisor testified after being shot by a wrong delivery. (Mid-Hudson News)
• Construction on the Fjord Trail North in the Mid-Hudson Valley has commenced. (The Highlands Current)
• A pedestrian was hit by a car driver and injured on Broadway in Kingston on Monday. (Hudson Valley One)