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Photos by Catherine Fonseca
Rallying in 30-degree temperatures, over 100 drivers and base owners from the Bronx and northern Manhattan, and from all over the city, today, Sun., Dec. 11th, called on Governor Cuomo to sign the livery bill sent to him this past Friday by the New York State Legislature.
The bill, approved overwhelmingly this past June by both Democrat and Republican state legislators, will allow livery drivers – for the first time in the industry’s history – to pick up street hails outside of downtown Manhattan.
“We are going to close our businesses tomorrow morning, and come back here,” said Cira Angeles, spokesperson for the group, speaking at the rally at Gov. Cuomo’s midtown office held this morning, as she urged for the governor’s signature.
“We are driving back to your office, right here on 41st Street and Third Avenue, for you to see our faces,” she added, addressing Gov. Cuomo directly. “We are black, Latino and minority members of New York City’s communities who create thousands of jobs. Our drivers keep bodegas, car shops, insurance companies, small businesses alive.”
Livery industry leaders called for 10 “Days of Action” to convince the Governor to sign the bill and educate New Yorkers of the importance of the livery industry in the minority neighborhoods in which it operates.
“We serve six million New Yorkers. We may not be big contributors to politicians but we are their constituents,” said Angeles.
Damian Rodriguez, base owner of First Class, in Washington Heights indicated, “Tomorrow morning, you will see a sea of black cars down the West Side Highway and the F.D.R.. so the governor sees for himself that we are part of the economic engine of this city.”
Fernando García, driver and president of the New York State Association of Independent Taxi Drivers, indicated that if Cuomo signs the bill into law, “For the first time in 40 years, the dreams of all of those people who have fought to be able to earn a living for their families would become a reality.”
Governor Cuomo has 10 days to sign or veto the bill.
Angeles added, “We have included in our compromise bill everything the Governor wanted. What’s the excuse now?”
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