Assemblyman William Colton (D – Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights) is calling on the New York City and the New York State Departments of Health to form a joint task force of state and city government which will include the Departments of Sanitation, Transportation, Environmental Protection, Buildings, and Parks & Recreations to deal with the immense health emergency we are facing throughout the City of New York due to the deplorable garbage conditions.

“Yesterday I sent a letter to New York City and the New York State Departments of Health demanding them to form a task force together with city and state government which will fight the horrendous garbage problem throughout NYC. As I stated in the letter my office has been swamped by angry residents with complaints about the deplorable garbage conditions where rats are now overrunning streets in the neighborhood especially 86^th Street from 26^th Avenue through 19^th Avenue and the adjacent residential Bay Streets between Cropsey Avenue and 86^th Street, and Kings Highway from West 6^th Street to West 10^th Street,” Colton stated.

“The city is horrendously infested with rats and other rodents. These conditions are forming a real health issue for the public. This is disgraceful that in the 21 century New York City is facing unacceptable garbage conditions, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is obvious that the current City Government has mismanaged New York City significantly. We must act immediately before the city will completely deteriorate and turn into a garbage swamp,” Colton added.