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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline OCTOBER 13, 2023 | The Indian Eye 26

Mayor Adams issues Statement on strong growth in

2023 Math and English Language Arts Test Scores

OUR BUREAU ning. The work continues under this
administration and the leadership of
New York, NY
Chancellor Banks to reinvent public
ayor Eric Adams on Fri- education in New York City.”
day released the following Math test score proficiency in-
Mstatement after the New creased from 37.9 percent in 2022
York City Department of Education to 49.9 percent in 2023. During that
released 2023 test scores showing same period, ELA proficiency in-
strong growth in math and English creased from 49 percent to 51.7 per-
language arts (ELA): cent.
“We are elated to see strong The disparity between Black and
growth under this administration’s white students in ELA also declined
first full school year. As a student I between 2022 and 2023. Black stu-
struggled with an undiagnosed dis- dents increased proficiency by 13.8
ability, so I know firsthand how the percent in math and 4.5 percent in
right support at school can change a ELA, reducing the gap with white
student’s trajectory. That’s why we dyslexia screenings, NYC Reads, and with the tools needed to unlock their students by 2.1 percent and 2.2 per-
introduced critical investments like more to ensure students are provided true potential. This is only the begin- cent, respectively.

Taxi Drivers Disrupt TMRB Hearing,

Plead with MTA for Exemption for Yellow Cabs

OUR BUREAU Nothing else is sustainable.”
“We have unprecedented, broad
New York, NY
support for taxis to be exempt: the
uring a public hearing of the congestion pricing coalition, over
Traffic Mobility Review Board, 25 elected officials, and the econo-
DMTA staff presented four pos- mists who originally crafted conges-
sible tolling scenarios for the board to tion pricing for the state. The MTA
consider in its final recommendations cowardly back tracking on a possi-
on the cost of the surcharge, credits ble taxi exemption can be attributed
and exemptions. None of the scenar- only to pandering to Uber and Lyft’s
ios consider an exemption for yellow lobbying to tax yellow cab trips - de-
taxis, despite the same MTA staff not- spite Uber and Lyft being principally
ing that taxis have only half of the rid- responsible for congestion, having
ership compared to before COVID, 55,000 active vehicles compared to
and that a surcharge will lead to fur- 7,000 active taxis, and having both
ther decline in trips leaving already elasticity to maintain trip volumes
“suffering” drivers at greater loss. and dynamic pricing to recover reve-
NYTWA yellow cab members nue. Yellow cabs have none of those
packed the hearing room, standing in advantages. Taxis have paid their fair
defiance with signs, “Third MTA Tax share, and simply won’t survive more
Equals Taxi Collapse” and “No More loss of trips. Drivers will be hand-
AtTAX on Drivers’ Backs!” cuffed to poverty, unable to call on
In a statement, Bhairavi Desai, fare raises for their own survival. Giv-
Executive Director of New York Taxi en the low number of vehicles, and
Workers Alliance, said: “A third sur- the likelihood that a tax would lead
charge on taxi fares, and the loss of to bankruptcies and foreclosures,
trips it would cause, will devastate an disappearing taxis off the streets,
industry and workforce that is bare- the MTA knows it would make little
ly surviving. It would be a slap in the while the drivers were sunk into deep “Passing a cost onto the rider money from a taxi tax. Denying taxis
face of a workforce that has been poverty and debt. Hundreds of own- is not a solution when that cost will an exemption would not be about the
collecting taxes for the MTA since er-drivers are still carrying debts as lead to less fares and leave drivers revenue, it would simply be cowardly
2009 and has paid heavily to pur- high as $450,000; some even as high jobless and medallion owner-drivers politics that consciously, eyes-wide-
chase medallions, raising hundreds as $800,000. Loss of trips and income with life-long debt. There needs to be open sells out a beleaguered work-
of millions in revenue for the city will crush drivers.” a full exemption for taxi cab service. force,” Desai added.

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