NYC NOW - Midday News: Flash Flood Warning in NYC Region, City Dispensaries Might Have To Move or Close, and an MTA Fare Hike is Coming

Episode Date: July 31, 2025

Local officials are warning residents to stay off the roads and prepare for flash flooding as hefty storms roll through the area Thursday night into Friday. Meanwhile, dozens of New York cannabis dispensaries may have to move or close. New York law bars dispensaries from opening within 5-hundred feet of schools. Plus, there’s another MTA fare hike coming. WNYC’s transit reporter Stephen Nessen joins us with what to expect.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Thursday, July 31st. Here's the midday news from Veronica DeValle. Local officials are warning residents to stay off the roads and prepare for flash flooding as hefty storms roll through the area tonight into tomorrow. The National Weather Service says New York City can expect anywhere from one and a half to three inches of rain. Some areas could see it many as five inches depending on how the storm system develops. Meteorologist Dave Raydell says the worst will hit later today. The timing of this is really this afternoon into this evening, about a six to eight, nine hour period there.

So this may impact the evening commute for folks in terms of some of this heaviest rainfall. Mayor Adams and Governor Hokel are urging people who live in low-lying areas to stay vigilant in case of flooding. Officials are also asking residents to clear out local catch basins or report clogged ones to 311. And in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy is issuing an early dismissal for all state offices after one this afternoon. Dozens of New York cannabis dispensaries may have to move or close. New York law bars dispensaries from opening within 500 feet of schools. At first, state officials were measuring the distance door to door, but now say they should have measured property lines. Now they're trying to correct the error.

Governor Hokel and state lawmakers say they will try to change the law to let dispensaries stay where they are, but they're not giving store owners any guarantees, and the legislature returns to session in January. We have a map of the dispensaries that might have to move at our news site, Gothamist. Feels like 87 and mostly sunny right now, but remember, floodwatch through midday tomorrow. Stay close. There's more after the break. On WNYC, Michael Hill, MTA Fairhike. Another's coming. How much more will commuters and drivers have to pay?

WNIC's transit reporter, Stephen Nesson, joins us with what to expect. Stephen, what are the details of this MTA proposal? Let's start with the basics, the cost of a single subway and bus ride. Costs will go up 10 cents. So we finally have a nice round number, $3 a ride. The MTA has tried to stick to these sort of predictable, fare hikes. We see them every two years. So this isn't too crazy. The agency argues that given the high rate of inflation we've seen, the cost of a ride is lower than what it should be, which they say is

$3.50. Here's MTA official Jesse Lazarus yesterday explaining how the MTA fares used to be closely tied to the cost of a slice. It's known as the pizza principle. Pizza principle, this homegrown economic theory, that the cost of a subway and the cost of a subway and the cost of a cost of a slice should always be the same, really collapsed in the last few years in this period for the first time since the 1960s. So the MTA argues $3, still a pretty good deal to get around the city, cheaper than a slice. And see, but it's not just subways, though, all MTA services are going up in cost starting

in January. That's right. The commuter railroads, Long Island Railroad, Metro North, those prices will actually go up 4.4%. That's higher than the subway. And bridges and tunnels, the tolls for those will go up 7. There's still congestion pricing. That doesn't change.

And there are some other new costs coming as well. Omni cards, if you buy one of those physical cards, right now they cost a dollar. Starting January 4th, it's going to go up to $2, unless you just use your credit card smartphone. Yeah, pardon me, Steve. Is this definitely happening? Most likely, although the public will get a chance to weigh in. There'll be some public hearings coming up. And the MT board itself will get a chance to weigh in.

There was some concern from some board members. but it doesn't look like a majority are fighting against this fair increase. That said, the Adams administration sent out a statement yesterday, and they are outraged. They are calling for their four board members to vote no on this hike. Adams says, quote, proposing a fair hike without demonstrating meaningful improvements is offensive to hardworking New Yorkers. Like I said, there were some grumblings from a couple of board members, but it's not enough to derail this plan as far as I heard. Stephen, I have to ask, people are clamoring for a more affordable city. How does the MTA plan to raise fares amid that clamor, and especially after the hot weather this week, show the system cannot stand up to changing weather patterns?

Why does the MTA say this is necessary? Well, the MTA would argue, like I said, taking a subway or bus is still cheaper than taking a cab or driving. It's lower than the rate of inflation. But to the point that the MTA is a steward of public money and its promise to modernize the system, And they definitely don't always deliver on that. We saw it laid bare this week with those meltdowns. And another detail this week that sort of speaks to that is we learned that their signal upgrade program, which is underway. Remember when the G train shut down last summer, the work is still ongoing this summer.

Well, a bunch of those projects are late and they're over budget. And I asked the chairman of the MTA, Jan O'Leber, about this yesterday. And he admitted, yeah, we don't always get it right, but we're doing our best and moving forward. We're learning from our mistakes. and asking for patience. But again, like you said, I don't know how much patience the public has for the MTA at this point. Steven, can you explain changes to the Fair Cap program? That is, yeah, that's the subway and bus program with Omni.

When you spend $34 within seven days, you get free rides for the rest of those seven-day period whenever they first tap to kickstart the seven days. Remember, that's like if you spend 12, if you do 12 rides, the 13th and after that's free, that's going to go up to $36 with the increase in fares. But the bad news with that is starting early next year, the MetroCard will be going away. And going away as well will be the 30-day unlimited metro card ride, which is going to be retired.

And I know some folks are not happy about that. But the MTA calls that 30-day a regressive cost because you have to pay the $132 up front. And with fare capping, you get the benefits just paying her ride. and they also say not that many people use the program anyways, the unlimited that is. Stephen How are writers reacting? Well, as they say, never read the comments. They're predictably vitriolic, but our excellent producer Amanda Rosen hit the platform and spoke to writers,

who are somewhat more understanding, maybe a bit resigned. Here's Jonathan Romero from the Bronx. I mean, obviously it sucks, you know. A lot of people know the struggle of living in New York, so anytime anything's raised, people just go more angrier. so, you know, obviously it's not the best thing to happen. Stephen, quick question, is there good news out there for Express Bus Riders? Right. The Express R Us riders are now going to be part of this fare capping program, too.

Once they spend $67 in a seven-day period, they'll have unlimited rides after that. But the base fare for those trips also is going up from $7 to $7.25. But as our other reporter, James Ramsey, reported recently, it is quite a luxury. ride if you can afford it. WNYC Transportation reporter Stephen Nesson, great job. Thank you. Thank you, Michael.

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