City Council Testimony

SEE TESTIMONY BY PSC MEMBERS BELOW.

SOME CONTEXT:  The City Council Committee on Civil Service and Labor initiated consideration of a proposed Administrative Code change that would clear the path for the City to implement a Medicare Advantage plan and begin charging retirees a premium to opt out. The legislation would also prepare the way to diminish healthcare insurance and increase costs for actives (in-service employees).  The proposed change was introduced at a City Council meeting on Wednesday, January 4; the Civil Service and Labor Committee convened a public hearing on Monday, January 9 .Overwhelmingly in opposition to (1) chnanging the administrative code and (2) moving retirees to Medicare Advatage, several hundred NYC retirees and employees testified in person, virtually or by sumitting wrtten testimony,  Their testimony was dramatic, powerful and re-shaped the narrative of the 11-hour 1/9/23 hearing.  Tellingly, a vote on the amendment, tentatively scheduled for a  stated meeting of the City Council on Thursday, January 19, did NOT take place.

(A NY Daily News article posted online on Thursday evening, January 19,  had a headline that read, “NYC Council has no plan to pass bill that would let Mayor Adams charge retired city workers for health care: ‘It’s dead’.”)

Below is PSC testimony by PSC members.  Many more testified — and we will add their testimony if they choose to send it to us.  (Send testimony to our Communications Director, Fran Clark, at [email protected].)

The entire 1/9/23 City Council hearing is available HERE with testimony by James Davis and a PSC panel beginning at the 5:48:15 timestamp.