Overview
- Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Garcia’s appointment in a Tuesday news release, elevating the state operations director to executive director of the bi-state agency.
- Cotton, who has led the authority since 2017, plans to step down in January and called Garcia “a superb choice” to inherit his duties.
- Garcia will oversee ongoing megaprojects, including the $19 billion reimagining of JFK with two terminals slated to open next year and the $10 billion Port Authority Bus Terminal redevelopment.
- The appointment places a veteran manager and former New York City sanitation commissioner and mayoral candidate in charge of airports, bridges, tunnels and regional transportation assets.
- Under the agency’s structure, New York’s governor selects the executive director while New Jersey’s governor appoints the chair, a post currently held by Kevin O’Toole.