An open letter by Sam Pirozzolo to Mayor DeBlasio, Governor Cuomo, and Residents of New York Affected by COVID-19 Business Closures and Lockdown. The text of the open letter follows the image of the letter, shown below:
NO More Fees For New York Businesses And Residents Affected By COVID 19 Pandemic
March 3,2020
With Governor Cuomo “closing the valve” and shutting down businesses, closing schools and telling people to stay home he should also be helping New Yorkers remain financially viable by halting the collection of state and city taxes and fines.
All real estate taxes, sales taxes, speed camera taxes and others should be halted for at least three months. It is rather ridiculous to completely stop the income of so many families while continuing to burden them with taxes, fines and tickets. If you are considering forgiving the crimes of prison inmates and letting prisoners out of jail due to the Coronavirus then certainly, we can skip a few speed camera tickets, or delay the collection of city and state taxes.
Halt! This Is A BS Free Zone
I am calling for the immediate halt to such income draining fees during these mandatorily business closed times. I would like to see that all taxes are added to the term of existing tax bills — interest free regardless of payment issues.
I would like to hear Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio ask banks and credit card companies to allow customers to halt payments penalty free for at least three to six months with their missed payments added to their term — interest free regardless of payment issues.
If our elected leaders really want people to stay home, then they should step up to the plate and put their money (our money) where their mouth is. Reduce everyone’s financial burden and help them stay at home and cope with mandatory income killing restrictions.
The views and opinions stated in the letter, reprinted above, are solely those of its author, Sam Pirozzolo, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or managers of StatenIslander.org
Assemlymember Sam Pirozzolo
Sam Pirozzolo is a native Staten Islander. He is a frequent contributor to the Staten Islander, and is well-known and loved by people on both the Right and Left, in his North Shore community. Sam brings people together, instead of dividing, by speaking common sense and analyzing our island's, and city's, issues, with intelligence and concern for all. Sam Pirozzolo was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 8, 2022. The 63rd Assembly District represents parts of Richmond County. Sam has successfully operated his family’s optical practice for 33 years. He is the past president of Community Education Council 31 where he served for seven years. Some of his most notable accomplishments include the creation of a Gifted and Talented program for middle school students, the recommendation for the NYC Department of Education to hire retired police officers as school resource officers, and the successful fight for the immediate cleanup of toxic PCBs leaking from the light fixtures in school classrooms. As an education advocate, Sam has participated in historic litigation that led to the return of more than $4 billion to New York public schools. He also fought to ensure that co-located charter schools receive the same capital funding as their host public schools. While serving in the Legislature, Sam will work to support law enforcement officers with proper funding, fix broken bail and parole policies, and help small businesses grow and thrive in a stronger, more resilient economy.