Allison Klempp testifies in support of tax for universal child care

Allison Klempp, then CLJ, and then Valerie Mason.

Allison Klempp.

You may begin.

Hi, my name is Allison Klempp.

I'm a new parent living in Brooklyn.

I have lived in New York City for 15 years.

I met my husband here, and we are now raising our eight-week-old son here.

I want to be clear about why we are here today.

It's not because a list of already public information was aggregated and published online.

It's not because 17,000 people who are lucky enough to own high-value homes have to upload a PDF.

Anyone who has tried to apply for unemployment, food stamps, WIC, or Medicaid knows the many hurdles, countless hours on the phone, and dozens of documents to provide eligibility for services they need.

need to survive.

So I believe in every homeowner's ability to upload that PDF.

You know, once upon a time there was a big book that got sent to everyone that listed people's address and phone number.

So this pearl clutching around the list feels quite silly.

But these concerns around the list goes to show how wealth inequality is harmful to even those at the top.

I propose that taking measures to address that inequality would go a long way towards relieving the halves of this anxiety.

We are here to talk about a tax on second homes worth $5 million or more for non-residents, so I'm not sure why any New Yorker, regardless of their tax bracket, would oppose this.

Unless they've been committing tax fraud by claiming residency elsewhere to avoid New York income taxes, for which I have no sympathy.

None of this applies to average New Yorkers.

Most average New Yorkers are renters and most of us are rent burdened.

This tax will raise necessary city revenue from people who use our city as a playground and keep valuable excess real estate as a tax shelter or an asset to profit from.

As a new parent, I am navigating a lot of uncharted territory.

We are preparing to go back to work and figure out how to incorporate child care costs, which is nearly a second rent payment, and an albatross is an albatross around our necks.

Child care costs are a severe burden to many New York City families, which is why universal health care was such a motivating factor in last year's mayoral election.

The revenue generated from this peditier tax or surcharge could go towards making universal child care a reality, which would lift a huge burden from working class families.

If we are forced out of the city because of costs, we don't have a second home, luxury or otherwise, to retreat to.

As a millennial who will likely never be able to own a home,

home, let alone multiple homes, in New York City or elsewhere, I urge the Council to prioritize the millions of poor and working class New Yorkers whose survival will be made easier from the money raised by the surcharge.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Johnson, and then Valerie Mason.