Raul Rivera (TLC driver advocate) testifies opposing ban as land grab

Good evening, Chair and members of the committee.

My name is Raul Rivera.

I'm a native New Yorker.

I have been advocating in this city for almost nine years, fighting for the drivers.

If this council could not help the New York City TLC drivers, how do you expect to help horses?

How do you expect to make things safe when you couldn't help the drivers?

Let's call this what it is.

Intro 0943 is a land grab by the real estate companies, a land grab by the developers, and both Councilmember Speaker Julie-Menin and Mayor Mamdani knows it's a land grab.

They know this has nothing to do with safety.

Speaker Menon's husband is a real estate developer.

That's why this land grab is happening.

And when advocates like myself speak up, the committee is quick to cut off my testimony.

What you're doing is weaponizing public safety.

This has nothing to do with safety.

This is about real estate.

The most profitable business in New York City is real estate.

This isn't about horses.

It's about the stables.

You're taking the homes away from the horses.

You're gentrifying New York City even for the horses.

Case in point, the vessel at the Hudson Yards, several suicides there.

No outrage from this council.

No hearings on safety at Hudson Yards.

You weaponize safety against working people while ignoring real safety failures in your pet projects.

And let's be honest about Speaker Julie Menon's record.

She's never supported the drivers.

We asked for help.

We asked for a meeting.

We even got an email from her office that said, not interested in meeting with the drivers.

And where was this council for Priscilla's Law?

Priscilla Loki was killed by an e-bike.

Her family begged for Priscilla's Law.

No one asked City Council.

Excuse me.

No one at city council cared enough.

All right.

I'll submit the rest of the testimony.

You can summarize if you want.

It's okay.

It's all right.

Okay.

But I do want to say that Curtis Sliwa sold out New York, and he is officially now, I anoint him king of the scumbags.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you both.

And, yeah, please make sure you submit the testimony, okay?

All right.

Thank you.

Is there anybody here who has not testified that hasn't filled out a card yet?

No?

Okay.

Then what we're going to do is we will now move to virtual testimony.

Please wait for your name to be called to testify and please select unmute when prompted.

Caitlin Gamble.

You may begin.