AOC meets “GSD” on taxi medallion debt relief

Taxi drivers who gathered at City Hall Friday afternoon to celebrate a new benchmark in medallion debt relief repeated two chants at their victory rally: “Driver power, union power,” and “AOC, AOC.”

The press conference announcing that the city’s taxi medallion debt relief program had forgiven $225 million and counting was also the first appearance of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at one of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ events since he took office in January. (“I don’t believe we have hosted an event where she has attended before,” Adams press secretary Fabien Levy said, though their record-keeping isn’t good enough to check that.)

As Ocasio-Cortez, Adams, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Taxi and Limousine Commissioner David Do, and the driver and labor leaders behind the debt relief program approached the City Hall steps to kick off the presser, one driver lined up behind them yelled out, “AOC for president!” Adams, rumored to have his own presidential ambitions, did not receive such a cheer. Ocasio-Cortez and Adams, for their part, didn’t let any of their political animus shine through, and respectfully praised each other for supporting the debt relief scheme. 

The Congress member, as well as Schumer, played a large role in putting a national spotlight on the taxi debt relief crisis last year. Though the first iteration of this debt relief deal was achieved under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, Adams introduced an updated version last month. “When Mayor Adams says he’s a ‘Get Stuff Done’ mayor, this is one great example,” Schumer said Friday.