On behalf of the RPA Board of Directors and entire RPA family, we are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dick Ravitch.

Dick was a friend, mentor, inspiration and leader for generations of public servants and civic leaders. He will be most remembered as the person who helped rescue the City from fiscal insolvency in the 1970s and restored New York City’s subway system in the 1980s. He championed funding for the MTA throughout his illustrious career and was never afraid to stand firm for the issues and priorities he believed in.

In 2009, RPA established the Lifetime Leadership Award – now called the John Zuccotti Award – to honor a public leader who has done extraordinary things for the New York metropolitan region. The first recipient of the award was Dick Ravitch.

Today is a sad day for New York.