TESTIMONY
Michael DeMarco, President of Local 1455 DC37, on Impact of Staffing Shortages on Revenue Collection and Public Safety
2:20:36
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138 sec
Michael DeMarco discusses how staffing shortages among New York City traffic employees affect revenue collection from parking meters and public safety.
- DeMarco represents NYC traffic employees who ensure the functionality of traffic devices and street signage.
- He states that a deficit of at least 60 members is severely affecting the city's revenue collection and the maintenance of public safety standards.
- These shortages hinder the installation and maintenance of essential signage, potentially leading to legal liabilities for the city.
- DeMarco urges the city administration to backfill all vacant positions to sustain proper revenue collection and safeguard public safety.
- He concludes by noting the city's financial losses stemming from not addressing these staffing gaps.
Michael DeMarco
2:20:36
Thank you.
2:20:37
Thanks for taking this here in today.
2:20:38
And thank you for letting me testify.
2:20:40
Good afternoon, Chairreston, fellow members of the committee.
2:20:43
My name is Michael Damako, and I am president of local 1455 DC37.
2:20:48
Local 1455 represents the New York City traffic employees who work in the Department of Transportation in the following titles.
2:20:55
City parking equipment service workers supervising city parking equipment service workers and traffic device main maintainers.
2:21:02
Not only do my members ensure the safety of the public through maintaining traffic devices and street signage, they are also a revenue generating title for the city.
2:21:11
My members collect the revenue from the pockey meters, now muni meters, and ensure the meters are functioning functioning and working properly.
2:21:18
This is a big source of income for the city of New York.
2:21:22
Furthermore, my members who install and hang signs ensure that streets are labeled properly, which allows the traffic enforcement agents to properly issue tickets for for
Dan Steinberg
2:21:31
for popping
Michael DeMarco
2:21:31
violations.
2:21:33
Also, the public sorry.
2:21:36
Currently, my my membership is down by at least 60 members, and as a result, this is impacting revenue collection by the city since they are a revenue generating title category.
2:21:47
I am sure the public is not complaining that there are lots of people to repair parking meter but the city does suffer by not being able to collect revenue.
2:21:55
Furthermore, the pub public will complain and file lawsuits that could cost millions of taxpayer dollars if the life protecting devices aren't installed, like stop signs.
2:22:05
If a citizen is a citizen is injured or killed by a missing sign.
2:22:09
Vision 0, that's gonna cost the city a lot of extra money.
2:22:12
And we only get 3 days to hang a a life protecting device like a stop sign.
2:22:17
With these vacancies, you could see what I'm talking about with the Vision 0.
2:22:22
In conclusion, the city announced that they will begin to back fill vacant positions at a rate of 241, meaning for every 2 positions that are vacant, they will hire one person.
2:22:31
Even though this is good news, the city is hiring, again, this will impact revenue collection in the long term since they are hiring less people to fill bike and positions.
2:22:39
We urge the administration to back fill all vacant positions in order for proper revenue collection to occur.
2:22:45
The city is losing 1,000,000 of dollars by not backfilling these positions.
2:22:50
Thank you for holding this important hearing, and I will take questions if you have any.