Dear Mayor Bill de Blasio,

We write to you as New Yorkers outraged and concerned by the city’s refusal to listen to owner-drivers of yellow cabs. Many drivers have suffered unconscionable hardships, like declaring bankruptcy and losing their homes, as a direct result of the city’s failed policies and neglect. These workers impacted by the medallion crisis deserve a just debt forgiveness plan.

We urge you to adopt the New York Taxi Workers Alliance’s (NYTWA) proposal for debt forgiveness now. Moreover, the NYTWA’s request for a city-backed guarantee must be honored, without which lenders will have no incentive to reduce monthly payments to manageable levels.

Throughout the pandemic, taxi workers were an essential part of making sure our city continued to run—just as they have done throughout history. The city must right the wrong it has done to owner-drivers of yellow cabs: Willfully targeting immigrant communities with predatory policies, assuring workers that purchasing medallions would be a safe investment, and refusing to regulate the industry in response to the rise of ride-sharing applications like Uber and Lyft. Providing a just debt forgiveness plan is a matter of human dignity for these workers and for our communities.

CC:
Aloysee Heredia Jarmoszuk
Commissioner, NY Taxi and Limousine Commission

Signed,

Muslim Democratic Club of NY

American Pakistani Advocacy Group

American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee

Amplify Her

Bangladeshi American Advocacy Group

Citizen Action of New York

DRUM Beats

Emgage Action

Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club

Make the Road Action

MPower Change Action Fund

Muslims for Progress

New York Working Families Party

No IDC NY

NYIC Action

Queens Democratic Socialists of America

Queens United Independent Progressives

Street Vendor Project

The Jewish Vote

Union of Arab Women

VOCAL-NY Action Fund

Voters for Animal Rights

Yalla Brooklyn

Yemeni American Merchants Association (YAMA) Action

Emilia Decaudin, Queens Democratic Disctirct Leader, AD 37, Part A

Derek Evers, Democratic Assembly District Leader, AD 37B

Shawna Morlock, Western Queens District Leader

Melissa Bieri, Queens District Leader 37B

Antonio Alfonso, Democratic Leader, 36 Assembly District Part A

Richard David, District Leader, Assembly District 31 Part B

Breeana Mulligan, District Leader, 36A

Jesse Pierce, District Leader, AD 52

Julio Peña III, District Leader AD 21