Your $140 Million Taxes and subsidies at work

FreshDirect once again had an opportunity to purchase new electric trucks as they promised to do but instead they chose to purchase fifteen brand new diesel trucks, Welcome2TheBronx has learned.

We went over to Milea Trucks Sales & Leasing on 149th Street and Austin Place to investigate after a local concerned citizen took some photographs and sent them over.  What we saw really shocked us at how FreshDirect continues to lie to our community about their intentions.  Sitting on their lot were 10 brand spanking new diesel trucks.  I checked each and every truck and all of them were diesel with “certified clean idling” stickers.  I asked one of the workers at the office what that meant and they said, “All that means is that when they stop, they don’t pollute but as long as they’re driving around, they still are spewing diesel fumes.”

I couldn’t believe my ears.  What about all the promises to convert to electric?

2 years ago when Superstorm Sandy hit, over 100 FreshDirect trucks were damaged and dumped on our waterfront as if our precious land was some sort of a dumping ground. During that time the company had a chance to purchase 100 electric trucks to comply with their promise to do so but they didn’t.

Now once again, we have the company breaking its promise to the people of The Bronx and the South Bronx where they want to dump their truck intensive operations — an area plagued by asthma and other ailments as more and more studies are released linking air pollution and diesel air pollution to autism, ADHD, and childhood leukemia.

This is a clear indication that FreshDirect has no intention to be a good neighbor as they so claim.  Already they planned a “secret” groundbreaking ceremony long before they even have been approved to receive all the funds to move.

Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr has touted that they would convert to electric but that is not happening.

Meanwhile, we have politicians and organizations accepting money from FreshDirect as the company continues to try and buy politicians and organizations to buy their support.  The Bronx Chronicle recently accepted money to provide ads for FreshDirect.

The Van Cortlandt Park Conservancy took money to have FreshDirect sponsor an event a few months ago — unbeknownst to BronxNet, and Friends of Van Cortlandt Park who were part of the event.  These organizations told Welcome2TheBronx that they were unaware that the Conservancy had done so and once the fliers were out the damage was done linking all these organizations to FreshDirect.

Tomorrow night, State Senator Ruben Diaz, and State Assemblymen Marcos A. Crespo, and Luis Sepulveda are hosting a Christmas party at Maestro’s Caterers which will be co-sponsored none other than, you guessed it, FreshDirect.

To all who are accepting monies from FreshDirect and pushing this as a good thing for the Bronx when the majority of the people have spoken at public hearings saying that this is not; when physicians have called this a bad deal for the health of the residents due to all the health ailments where 1 in 4 children have asthma and other issues I say this to you: You all have potential blood money on your hands.

Will you be there to comfort the mother who lost her child to asthma or other ailments? Will you pay the health bills that will ultimately result from allowing a truck intensive company to plow into our overburdened community?

Every politician and organization which I have called out here, I ask you:  Does the money let you sleep easier at night as a child is in the emergency room clinging to life because they can’t breathe?

You all have a moral responsibility to do right by those you serve and all will be held accountable by the community if FreshDirect is allowed to bring their life-threatening operations to our community.

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