PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Raul Rivera, TLC Driver and Advocate
1:51:53
ยท
79 sec
Raul Rivera, a TLC driver and advocate, expresses support for veterans and raises concerns about communication issues with council members and access restrictions at City Hall.
- Mentions family members who are veterans, including a cousin in the Coast Guard who survived being shot
- Complains about difficulty in getting meetings or responses from two unnamed committee members
- Describes being blocked from press conferences at City Hall despite having a press pass
- Emphasizes his right to advocate and gather content as a press pass holder
Raul Rivera
1:51:53
afternoon.
1:51:54
My name is Raul Rivera.
1:51:55
I'm a TLC driver and a TLC driver advocate.
1:51:56
We are here supporting our veterans.
1:51:59
We thank the chair for all he does for the veterans.
1:52:03
We have plenty of veterans in my family.
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I had a cousin who was almost killed.
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He was in the coast guard.
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He was shot and he survived.
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Know, shout out to Alex Stein who's here too.
1:52:14
We're happy to see him.
1:52:17
You know, I'm I'm I'm here because we support our veterans, but I'm also here because you have two members on your committee who are who are we having trouble, you know, communicating with, you know.
1:52:27
It's it's it's shameful that we have to come to committees and testify just to see our council members to get a meeting to get a you know, you know, the emails that go unresponded?
1:52:37
You know, text messages go unresponded?
1:52:39
It's not cool.
1:52:40
We're trying to get meetings with our members, you know, our council members, and they're not responding to us.
1:52:44
You know, I'm a I'm a press pass cardholder and I was blocked.
1:52:48
I was blocked at city hall.
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I can't go into press conferences.
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I'm being I'm being blocked by these officers and they think it's it's cool.
1:52:55
It's not cool.
1:52:56
You know what mean?
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They give you all kinds of excuses and they and they blocking people from going and gathering and and gathering content, you know?
1:53:03
I have that right.
1:53:04
I have the right to advocate.
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I have the right to, you know, to use my press pass.
1:53:09
If I if I dishonor the press pass, I lose it, you know?
1:53:12
And and