Andrew Cuomo says that he'll “rein in delivery chaos” on New York City’s streets if he's elected mayor, but DoorDash just made a $1-million bet that the former governor won't blame the app companies, opponents say.
The delivery company's hefty donation to the Cuomo-aligned political action committee Fix The City, first reported by Politico, shows that the company is betting on the former governor being willing to meet them at the table if he is elected, said political insiders.
“I will take it at face value that Cuomo believes that we should regulate the app companies and incentivize safety instead of speed in making deliveries," said Eric McClure, executive director of StreetsPAC. "Everybody thinks that’s a good idea, but nothing has happened yet on that front. [The donation] obviously is a bet from DoorDash ... to gain some access if not influence over those possible decisions if he wins.”
Fix the City has raised over $8 million to help Cuomo become mayor, though most donations come from real estate power players, as well as a sizable infusion from Trump-aligned billionaire and Harvard scold Bill Ackman.
Regulating the delivery app companies has been a major talking point of the current Adams administration, but there has been little action to advance any sort of comprehensive plan. Safe streets advocates want real leadership on this issue.
“New Yorkers are clamoring for a comprehensive solution on our streets that keeps pedestrians safe, professionalizes delivery work, and holds same-day delivery apps accountable,” said Ben Furnas, the executive director of Transportation Alternatives.
Where Cuomo stands
In his almost 18-minute campaign announcement, Cuomo emphasized the "chaos of e-bikes," but his website does lay out broader plans for reining it in.
The plan includes revising the city’s minimum pay law "to eliminate inappropriate incentives to dangerous use of e-bikes." And he does blame the aforementioned "chaos" on “structural problems in the food delivery business” and advocates for making app-companies "financially responsible for any damages caused by riders making deliveries on their behalf."
But to Cuomo's opponents, the DoorDash donation reveals a candidate who is willing to work with the app companies at the expense of workers.
“Even by Cuomo standards this is gross,” Comptroller Brad Lander wrote on X. “DoorDash is trying to buy Cuomo’s election w/ $1M — so he’ll roll back the law I passed that requires them to pay their workers a living wage. Every day he shows more clearly whose interests he cares about: his own.”
Former Comptroller Scott Stringer, another Democratic challenger in the June 24 primary, told Streetsblog that he would fight for delivery workers as mayor.
“While a Cuomo super PAC takes a million-dollar check from DoorDash, I’m proud to stand with the New Yorkers who make our city work. Delivery workers aren’t looking for special treatment — they just want fairness, safety, and a shot at the middle class,” he said.
And state Sen. Zellnor Myrie told Streetsblog that the large donation is expected from the ethically challenged Cuomo.
"Andrew Cuomo has spent decades bending laws, shutting down ethics investigations, and exploiting every loophole to serve himself — and now he’s doing it again, backed by a super PAC funded by billionaires and corporations who know Cuomo will serve the highest bidder,” he said.
DoorDash declined to comment on whether its donation indicates support for Cuomo’s public policy goals, but a spokesperson said the company sees Cuomo as a leader who can bring “pro-local economy” solutions to New York City.
“In recent years we’ve seen a wave of policies emerge from New York City that, while well-intentioned, have often had unintended consequences,” John Horton, head of North America public policy for DoorDash, said in a statement. “These policies have made it harder for local businesses, Dashers, and consumers to thrive. In New York’s mayoral race, we believe Governor Cuomo represents the kind of leadership that can deliver on those goals."
The donation comes just before the Cuomo campaign demonstrated, again, its lack of understanding of the city’s campaign finance laws. After being denied matching funds from the Campaign Finance Board for months because of a filing error, the board announced on Monday that the campaign would be fined over $600,000 for alleged coordination with the super PAC.
