Dharaj Ganjukanta (read by another) testifies for NYC DSA
The statement says most bills address individual behaviors while ignoring systemic issues, opposes bills that burden workers or expand police stops, and calls for infrastructure investment.
Dharaj had to leave.
I'm going to be reading his statement on his behalf.
Good morning, Chairs Abreu and Epstein, Council Members.
My name is Dharaj Ganjukanta, and I'm offering testimony on behalf of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America.
I co-chair our transit working group, a body chartered this year to expand our organizing around transportation and infrastructure issues.
We appreciate the spirit of this hearing, particularly the focus on pedestrian worker safety.
However, most of the proposed legislative solutions fall short in terms of their potential impact and approach.
The bills in this package, for the most part, address individual behaviors while leaving systemic issues unaddressed and ignoring proven infrastructure solutions to street safety.
We oppose bills that place an additional burden of responsibility on workers and individual cyclists rather than apps or sellers, or bills that provide additional grounds for police to randomly stop cyclists and workers.
Unfortunately, there are many bills in this package that fall into both categories.
Alternatively, we urge the Council to call for solutions that address the conditions actually producing unsafe streets.
That means investing in protected bike infrastructure and other street redesigns that better organize our streets to keep people safe and meet the needs of users.
Far too often, Council members are opposing projects like these either publicly or behind the scenes or choose not to champion them.
Other proven safety treatments along with legislation and funding to support them should be prioritized as well, including daylighting intersections, expanding protected intersections for cyclists, bus boarding islands, curb extensions, low traffic neighborhoods.
and expanding pedestrian-friendly space across the city.
We urge the Council to more aggressively examine and address the role delivery apps and other platforms play in shaping working conditions on our streets.
Tech billionaires should not be permitted to gamify the scarce public space on our streets.
Delivery workers should not be expected to absorb the risks created by unrealistic delivery times and quotas or any other exploitative mandates imposed by app companies.
If the council is serious about worker and pedestrian safety, legislation should place meaningful responsibility on corporations that organize and profit from this labor.
We recognize that some progress has been made in this regard.
Thank you very much for your testimony.
Next.