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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Wayne Chen, Member of New York Taxi Workers Alliance
4:38:46
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126 sec
Wayne Chen, a member of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, testified about the ongoing medallion debt crisis and the need for continued support through the MIIB plus program. He shared a personal story about a friend who died by suicide due to the crisis and emphasized the importance of restructuring remaining medallion loans.
- Highlighted that about 3,000 medallion loans have been restructured, but approximately 200 are still pending due to lender non-participation
- Requested the city to maintain the MIIB plus program to facilitate the restructuring of remaining loans
- Addressed the need for wheelchair-accessible vehicles in the taxi fleet and asked for financial support to offset the higher costs of these vehicles
Wayne Chen
4:38:46
Hi.
4:38:46
Good evening.
4:38:47
Thank you for allowing me to speak.
4:38:49
My name is Wayne Chen.
4:38:51
I'm also a member of New Test Worker Alliance.
4:38:55
Today, I'm speaking a little bit heavy hearted because last Sunday, was the seventh year anniversary of passing on my dear friend Kenny Charles.
4:39:07
He ended his life jumping in the East River, not far from the Gracie Mansion.
4:39:13
And he's the first victim of the medallion debt crisis.
4:39:18
So since then, administration, a lot of medallion loan are restructured already, about 3,000 of them restructured already.
4:39:29
But however, we still had about 200 medallion still waiting to be restructured because the current lender refused to participate in the program.
4:39:37
So our union are working very hard to secure the funding for the new bank to join the Citi MIB plus program.
4:39:49
I asked the city to keep the MIIB plus program and they order the medallion loan restructure.
4:39:56
And also, recently, the federal law required the city to have 50 of the DESI fleet to we share accessible vehicle ADA appliance.
4:40:09
And those those cars cost the better the price of the regular taxi.
4:40:17
So I'm asking the city to keep the MIU price program because we critically need the the program for the remaining loan to restructure so that we can purchase a new car for the wheelchair.
4:40:30
Your DSE rule require all the new DSE to be wheelchair accessible.
4:40:35
So we need this program to continue until all the loans are refinanced.
4:40:40
And also, we ask the city to waive the status on the purchase of the way bigger, so to offset the the cost of the new bigger.
4:40:51
Thank you for allowing me to speak.