I am writing to you about the article titled “Astoria civic leader slams City Council bill on construction safety,” published on Aug. 7.
The article featured content from letters sent to New York City Council speaker Melissa Mark-Viverto and Major Leader Van Bramer expressing my initial concern about the bill.
Not only did you use the letter without my permission,* but I had already sent a follow-up letter to the Council members on Aug. 4, three days before this article was published, retracting my initial thoughts after learning the spirit and the object of the bill is not to jeopardize the employment of workers.
As expressed in the Aug. 4 letter send to City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito, Majority Leader Van Bramer and Council member Jumaane Williams, Urban Upbound is in support of Intro 1147 if it does what it is intended to do — increasing the level of safety for New Yorkers placed on construction projects.
Furthermore, our organization looks forward to working with the City Council to ensure that our constituents have access to the training necessary to enter and grow in New York’s booming construction sector.
Bishop Mitchell Taylor
Co-founder, CEO
Urban Upbound
Long Island City
*The TimesLedger received the letter on Urban Upbound letterhead from a man alleging to be a spokesman for the organization.
