Gov’s subway dodge way off track: DeB

Mayor de Blasio on Friday ripped into Gov. Cuomo’s claim that the state is not ultimately responsible for the city’s subway system — calling it a “fantasy” and chiding the governor to “own up” to his responsibility.

It was the first time since the subways experienced a succession of widespread delays and power failures that de Blasio — who has a running feud with Cuomo — has so forcefully pinned an abdication of duty on the governor.

“He’s in charge. He should just own up to it and take this responsibility seriously,” Hizzoner said on WNYC radio.

“If the system is constantly experiencing delays and New Yorkers are suffering as a result of it, where’s the plan to end those delays and focus those resources where they’re needed the most?”

Earlier this week, the MTA issued a six-point plan to begin addressing the root causes behind the delays — largely aging infrastructure — including expediting the ordering of new subway cars.

Cuomo was happy to be viewed as the guy in charge of the MTA when he opened the Second Avenue Subway on New Year’s Eve, pointing out that he appoints most of the agency’s board members.

But the governor later distanced himself, saying this week that he only appoints some members to the MTA board — even though he also names the chairman.

When WNYC host Brian Lehrer asked the mayor about Cuomo’s comment, de Blasio didn’t hold back.

“That’s a fantasy. That’s absolutely inaccurate. And he said earlier in the year he was in charge and he was focused,” said the mayor.

Cuomo press secretary Dani Lever said the governor’s appointees don’t constitute a majority.

“The governor has six appointees on the MTA board out of 14 [voting members] — last we checked, that is not a majority,” she said.

Lever also noted that if the city had given capital funds proportionate to its representation on the MTA board, it would have recently provided $5.5 billion instead of $2.5 billion toward the five-year construction plan.

But Cuomo’s statements in December left no doubt that he viewed himself as the one most responsible for the MTA’s successes and failures.

“The governor has the majority of members . . . If a governor wanted to step up and be responsible, he or should could be,” he said last year on NY1. “And what I said is I’m going to step up and take responsibility.”

Former US Attorney Preet Bharara weighed in on de Blasio’s side.

“On ‘Mr. Cuomo’s defense that he does little more than appoint members to the MTA.’ Really? I thought he personally built the Second Avenue Subway,” Bharara tweeted.