When Francis H. Powers passed away in June, Gov. David Paterson received the opportunity to appoint someone to the MTA Board. Yesterday, he named Allen P. Cappelli, lawyer and longtime Democratic supporter, to fill the vacant seat.
Cappelli, as William Neuman reports in The Times isn’t an unbiased observer. “I have been very mistrustful of the M.T.A. as an agency,” he said. “Dealing with straphanger groups and commuter groups over the years, and citizens with their complaints — whether it be with unsafe conditions, cleanliness issues, cost of the system, increases in fares — I’ve become very skeptical of the M.T.A.’s operations.” I think that’s a good sign. Maybe.