Assemblyman Carl E. Heastie Reports to the People

Dear Neighbor(s):

I want to send an update to the community on two pieces of legislation I authored that the governor signed into law at the end of 2011.

1351 East Gun Hill Road
Bronx, NY 10469
718-654-6539

LOB 842
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-4800

As always, if there is any way that I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me. My office is here to serve you.

With Love and Hope,
signature

Carl E. Heastie
Member of Assembly

Assemblyman Heastie Passes Landmark Law that Provides Outer Boroughs with Curbside Pickup Taxi Service

Provides New York City with $1 Billion in Revenue

Customers benefit:

The City will issue up to 18,000 HAIL (Hail Accessible Inter-borough License) licenses for use in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Northern Manhattan.
3,600 of these licenses will be handicapped accessible.
No longer will customers have to haggle over prices since these cars will be fitted exactly like “yellow cabs”—with meters, partitions and credit card machines.
2,000 more yellow cabs for the City—all of which will be handicapped accessible.

Livery Drivers benefit:

Drivers can come out of the shadows and “pick up” street hails legally.
18,000 “HAIL permits” are transferable assets which should grow in value, providing drivers with equity.
The law ensures that a market analysis is completed before new licenses are released to be certain that the market doesn’t become oversaturated with HAIL permits.

Livery Base Owners benefit:

The Legislation caps the number of existing bases thereby providing increased value to present bases.
New rules will provide base owners with provisions to ensure that pickup calls aren’t missed by their drivers (skips).
Curbside pickup service in the outer boroughs provides a whole new business opportunity to allow them to grow and prosper.
Every “HAIL Car” in addition to regular taxi requirements will also be required to pay base owners an affiliation fee.

The City of New York benefits:

The sale of 2,000 yellow taxi medallions brings the City approximately $1 billion in additional revenue to support critical City services.

Assemblyman Heastie Authors New Law to Provide Best Value Contracts for Local Governments

Allows City to pick Minority and Women Owned Business vendors even if they aren’t the lowest bidder

This new law allows municipalities that purchase contracts (including contracts for service work, but excluding any purchase contracts necessary for the completion of a public works contract) may be awarded on the basis of best value rather than to the lowest responsible bidder. This new law allows municipalities to award contracts to Minority and Women Owned Businesses and Enterprises (MWBE) even if they are not the lowest bidder on a contract.

• Will allow New York City to use strategic sourcing principles to modernize its supply chain.

• Will ensure that taxpayers obtain the highest quality goods and services at the lowest potential cost.

• Other localities in the state will have the option of passing a local law that would allow them to use best value purchasing as well.

Taxpayers are not well served when a public procurement results in low costs at the expense of quality. Even if the initial expenditure is higher, considering the total value over the life of the procurement may result in a better value and long-term investment of public funds.

Office Addresses of Assemblyman Carl E. Heastie

DISTRICT OFFICE: 1351 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY 10469 • 718-654-6539
ALBANY OFFICE: LOB 842, Albany, NY 12248 • 518-455-4800