Public Employee Press

Contrarian opposes union residency bill

I do not support Intro. 452 because it only offers a temporary fix for a much larger problem. The city needs to give a more substantial wage increase so that more of its workers can afford to live within the city limits.

The federal government recognizes this by giving its New York City workers locality pay more appropriate with living within the city limits. Even if the residency rule is lifted, the 45,000 workers who live outside the city limits will soon be priced out of those areas as well because of higher energy and transportation costs.

Also, in these terror-threatened times that we live in, the city should have its workers more available in case they are needed to run the city in an emergency.

James Rando
Community Associate
Kings County D.A.

Editor’s Note: Your argument regarding emergencies doesn’t make sense as long as Police Officers and Firefighters are not covered by the residency restrictions.

Whatever wage increase we are able to get in the current negotiations and whatever the price of energy and transportation, how can you not support giving your fellow DC 37 members equal rights with Teachers and Sanitation workers?