Major Victory in Access-A-Ride Fare Fight!
March 23, 2009
As you may have read in this morning’s NY Daily News (”MTA backtracks on huge Access-A-Ride hike” 3/23/09), the MTA has shelved its disastrous, discriminatory, and illegal plan to raise the paratransit fare from $2 to $5 (or $10 for a round-trip).
Regular readers know that I have blogged about this before (”VIDEO: New Bill Prevents MTA from Raising Access-A-Ride Fare to $5“) and earlier this month I held a press conference with Senator Tom Duane to announce our legislation (A.6489/S.2933) that prohibits a transit authority from discriminating against people with disabilities in their fare structure. This bill codifies in law what the MTA has already promised in a written 1993 contract with New York City never to increase the fare for Access-A-Ride higher than the regular fare. Had the $5 fare passed, we would have had to sue to get that contract enforced.
I am pleased that the MTA has finally got the message that discrimination is not acceptable in New York. But to make sure that we never repeat this fiasco, I am continuing to fight to get the legislation enacted.
A statement I released today can be found in the Publications section of my website.
Solidarity with Coler-Goldwater Nurses
March 19, 2009
For more than half a century the HHC Coler-Goldwater Hospital on Roosevelt Island has played an important role in New York City’s health care system providing HIV and AIDS care, geriatric care, primary care, rehabilitation services, and 24-hour long-term care to children and adults with chronic and multiple disabilities. The work done at Coler and Goldwater requires having the kind of dedicated staff that goes that extra mile and the nurses that work there exemplify that compassionate professionalism.
We all know that this is a particularly tough budget year and that the proposed Executive budget now before the legislature includes measures that will impact HHC hospitals, including Coler-Goldwater. It would be dishonest to say that there will not be cuts to health care when a final budget is passed. But in Albany, I am working to ensure that public hospitals like the one I represent on Roosevelt Island get the funding they need to continue to fulfill their missions.
Today the New York State Nurses Association held a protest in front of both the Coler and Goldwater hospitals, at which Council Member Jessica Lappin and I joined the nurses in their opposition to management’s decision to force them to move to a five-day schedule, instead of continuing to offer a choice between a five-day and four-day schedule. This decision does not serve the long-term interests of the hospital and it is unfair to its staff. Two years ago, introducing the option of a four-day week attracted many new nurses to Coler-Goldwater despite the state’s nursing shortage. To reverse this labor policy will undoubtedly drive many of these nurses away from the hospital. This is especially true during a hiring freeze and will result in an unacceptable situation for both staff and patients.
It is time to break the old habits of labor and management butting heads; we know that this will only worsen our problems. Instead, we must endeavor to work together. I implore hospital management to come to the table and work with its nurses to find better solutions to the problems that are facing Coler and Goldwater.
You can download my full statement from today’s vigil in the Publications Section of my website.
Kellner Bill Would Make It Easier for Consumers to Recycle Unwanted Electronics
March 13, 2009
According to the EPA, used or unwanted electronics amounted to 1.9 to 2.2 million tons of waste in 2005, of which 1.5 – 1.8 million tons were primarily disposed of in landfills and less than 400,000 tons (under 20%) were recycled. Every year this number grows.
Electronic waste is a major environmental health hazard, commonly containing cadmium, hexavalent chromium, brominated flame retardants as well as constituting 40% of the lead found in landfills and 22% of the annual world consumption of mercury. The sheer volume of improperly disposed of consumer electronics indicates that the strategy of encouraging consumers to mail unwanted electronics back to the manufacturer is failing.
Requiring big box retailers to collect consumer electronics for recycling and reuse makes it easier for the consumer to understand and participate in recycling. This way, a consumer can drop off their old television or DVD player when they go to shop for their new flatscreen or Blu-ray player.
My bill, the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act (A.6739), requires major retailers to collect unwanted electronics of the brands they sell in their stores. Retailers also have the option of entering into a collective collection plan with other retailers or not collecting electronics but paying into a local fund for electronics recycling. Retailers are required to provide information about their recycling program at the time a consumer makes a purchase, advertise their program in their store, and maintain a conspicuous location where unwanted electronics are collected.
At the same time, the bill bans the disposal of covered electronic equipment in any solid waste management facility. Once there is a convenient place for consumers to bring electronics for recycling, there is no longer any excuse for the pollution that comes with throwing electronics out with the trash.
For more information on how to dispose of your unwanted electronics right now, please see the New York City’s WasteLe$$ website, which has information about take-back programs, Sanitation recycling events, and the new New York City recycling laws.
VIDEO: New Bill Prevents MTA from Raising Access-A-Ride Fare to $5
March 9, 2009
Video of Sunday, March 8th press conference announcing paratransit fare equity legislation with Sen. Tom Duane, Comptroller Bill Thompson, and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Advocates representing the following groups also attended: United Spinal Association, United Cerebral Palsy of NYC, MS Society of NYC, Disabilities Network of NYC, Disabled in Action, Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled, and the 504 Democratic Club. (Note: Some additional video footage of advocates speaking was unplayable; my apologies!)
When the MTA began operating Access-A-Ride in 1993, during the Dinkins Administration, they signed a written agreement with the City of New York promising never to raise the fare above what they charged regular mass transit users. This fall, the MTA decided to break that covenant and put forward a proposal to charge Access-A-Ride users double what they have proposed to charge everyone else. Right now, when someone with a disability uses Access-A-Ride, they pay $2; the same as when someone takes the subway or rides the bus. If the MTA has their way, straphangers will be paying up to $2.50 — a burden enough for the larger New Yorker riding public — but people with disabilities who rely on Access-A-Ride are expected to pay $5.
This is discrimination, plain and simple. Unbelievably, it is 2009 and a public agency is singling out a class of people and saying, “You should pay more based on who you are.” If this was being done to people based on their race or their gender there would be widespread outrage. But sadly, discriminatory attitudes towards people with disabilities are so deeply ingrained in our society that people still need to be reminded that it is wrong.
This week, Senator Tom Duane and I are introducing legislation to force the MTA to keep their word about treating people with disabilities fairly. Our bill prevents any transportation authority in New York State from raising paratransit fares higher than what they charge regular transit users.
It is sad that this is necessary. At the MTA’s budget hearings we saw hundreds of wheelchair users and other people with severe disabilities braving a difficult commute to tell the MTA that a $5 fare would sentence them to isolation. Articulate and passionate advocates stood before the MTA Board and reminded them of the contract they made with the City of New York and admonished them to keep their word. But the MTA hasn’t changed its mind; instead, it has dug in its heels and decided to balance their budget on the backs of the riders who can least afford it.
We will not allow this to happen. As a person with a mobility impairment myself, and as a legislator, I will not sit back and watch the MTA implement a fare structure that discriminates against a class of New Yorkers. New York has a proud tradition of equality and opportunity for all, and together we can ensure that this continues. We will not allow the MTA to use this fiscal crisis to leave the frail elderly and riders with disabilities stranded.
The New York Post ran an article (”Don’t Hike Disabled Fares: Pols” 3/7/09) about this legislation last weekend.
Rosalyn Richter: A Groundbreaking Appellate Court Choice
March 5, 2009
New York State will now have its first appellate court judge who is openly gay and is a person with a disability. Today Governor David Paterson announced that he is appointing Rosalyn Richter, Justice of the New York County Supreme Court, to the First Department of the Appellate Division of New York State. Justice Richter has spent her career as a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community and disabilities rights advocate.
With this appointment the Governor has sent a clear signal to LGBT and disabilities communities that he believes in equality in our legal system. I commend his selection of this outstanding candidate. I know that she will be an outstanding jurist on the Appellate Division representing all New Yorkers.
My joint statement with Assembly Member Richard Gottfried commending the Governor in his selection to this post can be found in the Publications Section of my website.
