New York: For disabled voters, strength in numbers brings political clout | Albany Times Union
For Dustin Jones, hailing a taxi is more than just flagging down a cab on the street corner or punching in his coordinates on his phone. So Jones, a wheelchair user and founder of the disability advocacy group United for Equal Access New York, has made ride-hailing expansion his issue. Specifically, the Bronx man sought to have legislation that would have provided for ride-hailing outside of New York City amended earlier this year to include provisions for 100 percent wheelchair-accessible service requirements. Ultimately, that bill failed, though for reasons beyond accessibility. “I think we’re being heard, but we’re not being heard at the levels where we should be heard,” Jones said. “That’s going to take a lot more convincing. That’s where myself and other advocates and aspiring advocates need to really come out and let the Legislature know that we’re not going to really stand for this.” The good news for Jones and others with disabilities who are civically engaged is in politics there is strength in numbers. And their ranks are growing.
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