Today, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the City’s Municipal ID, which will launch in January 2015, will give all ID card holders access to one-year free membership packages at 33 of the City’s leading cultural institutions, including world class museums, performing arts centers, concert halls, botanical gardens, and zoos in all five boroughs. The Municipal ID/CIG one-year membership will be comparable to each institution’s standard one-year individual or family membership package, depending on the institution, and will give ID card holders a range of benefits including free admission, and access to special events, and discounts to museum shops.
The 33 institutions belong to the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) which is comprised of private nonprofit cultural organizations located on City owned property. The first member of the CIG, the American Museum of Natural History, was created in 1869 and the group has grown to include a diverse cross section of institutions in each of the boroughs. The City provides capital, operating and energy support to CIG members and in turn each institution is charged with providing access to cultural services and programming to all New Yorkers.
“The Municipal ID Program is one that has the potential to transform lives, and to help ensure its success the cultural community, and in particular the Cultural Institutions Group’s members, have stepped up to the plate,” said City Council Majority Leader and Chair of Libraries & International Intergroup Relations Committee Jimmy Van Bramer. “Culture is always important in our City and with this announcement we are reminded of the centrality of the arts to our City. Access to the arts for all and a more just City is being accomplished with the help of these great institutions. It is a great day.”
“I am grateful to the Cultural Institutions Group for teaming up to make New York’s municipal ID program the envy of other cities,” said Municipal ID Bill Sponsor Council Member Daniel Dromm. “This world-class ID will make our city’s world-class cultural institutions accessible to every New Yorker, from recent immigrant families to students and young professionals. With all of the fun and exciting options that this card will provide, New Yorkers will have no excuse to fail to get a card or to stay at home.”
Queens locations:
Flushing Town Hall
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning
Museum of the Moving Image
New York Hall of Science
MoMA PS1
Queens Botanical Garden
Queens Museum
Queens Theatre
From the Observer:
But plenty of questions about the IDs still remain — including what documentation will be required to receive them and whether financial institutions will accept them to grant bank accounts or other services that were key to the argument the cards were necessary.
Mr. de Blasio told the Observer the process of determining what would be needed to prove identity and residency had been a thorough one that involved the NYPD, and Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Nisha Agarwal said draft rules would be up for comment soon.
“There will be a public hearing in early October to discuss things like what documents you need to bring to be able to show identify, residency, and what are some of the other rules and details of this program,” Ms. Agarwal told the Observer.
As for getting banks to accept the cards, Ms. Agarwal said progress was being made there, too.
“We’re in active conversations with the financial institutions as well as with their regulators to hopefully be able to announce soon enough the commitment of financial institutions participating with the municipal ID as well,” Ms. Agarwal said.
32 comments:
Isn't that special......
Danny Dromm is disgusting and I hope a Spanish person runs against him and kicks his ass out of office.
Of course they get freebies. I'd like to go to any other country and see if I get rewarded for breaking the federal immigration laws in those countries.
I'd like to know what will happen to the bottom lines of these cultural institutions when those of us who are legal and usually pay for admission rush to get these freebie cards.
I don't think these people will visit these museums.
If that's the case will they get in free at the Met while the rest of us have to pay $20?
will they be able to go to MOMA for free while the rest of us have to pay also?
I'd like to go to museums, can a legal resident get one?
This is a waste of tax payers dollars. There is already a system in place, it is a non-driver license. I could just see this municipal ID being a mess. Also great to know you can break the law and get freebies. No wonder people feel the way they do about people here illegally.
This whole system is typical New York political bullshit.
Could you show a green card and get a discount too? Or is this taxpayer ripoff program catering to illegals only?
Why would a bank sign on to a program that skirts transparency and anti money laundering laws. It would put banks at risk of losing millions and be fined by Fed for not following established guidelines.
Another great idea from a complete idiot Mayor!
I'd like to know what will happen to the bottom lines of these cultural institutions when those of us who are legal and usually pay for admission rush to get these freebie cards.
They become 2nd rate cultural institutions like they have in most of Queens - but not to worry, they provide plenty of photo ops for the pols and when you get down to it, that is pretty much the determining factor on who gets money.
Of course they get freebies. I'd like to go to any other country and see if I get rewarded for breaking the federal immigration laws in those countries.
Apparently, any New York City resident can get the municipal ID card, including those of legal status. Although a program like this kind of blurs the line over the intentions of the Muni ID card itself. First, they wanted some kind of legal identification for undocumented residents. Now, while keeping that purpose, they're adding a bunch of discounts and making the Muni ID similar to a college student ID.
It will be interesting to see who, if anyone, will accept these cards as documents of one's actual identity rather than as the equivalent of a grocery discount card.
Could I become an employee or a vendor to one of these cultural institutions by presenting this card ONLY?
Let's keep in mind that Dem State elected want to pass the so-called "DREAM ACT" which would give children of illegal aliens state college financial aid. This was killed by the Senate earlier this year, but Cuomo calls it "a priority."
But how many legal middle-class students are eligible?
The city will sue and punish those institutions who do not participate. Does a museum need finding? Well if you participate, the city will become your good friend. Why are illegals being treated with silver plater service????
Not a valid ID for any purpose other than getting you free museum entry, right? I haven't seen a lot of Mexicans in the impressionist wing of the Met, lately.
Why do the illegals need an ID card? They already have their Welfare Benefits Card. Isn't that enough? When will legal citizens get advantages that illegals get? What's going to happen when the state loses its tax base? Where is the Federal Government in all this. Can local government circumvent Federal Law? Just asking.
All the democrats are against a voter ID card but are for this municipal ID card.
Pandering panderers.
Anon No. 18:
Not true. Some Deomcrats are against both.
A lot of these comments don't get it. The free admission to cultural institutions isn't for the illegals. It's for you. So you go out and get a municipal ID card. De Blasio and the liberals on the boards of these places want you to get one. Because if you don't it remains a card for illegals. They desperately want to avoid that. Are you going to take their bribe?
You think De Blasio threatened to withhold funding from groups that don't give free admission?
Read the fine print, if your membership lapsed after jan 1 2012 you don't get free admission. These groups aren't losing much money, most members are members long term. This is probably just available for one year, you might get some to pay to renew.
The liberals on these boards are all pro illegal. They didn't need to be extorted. They were thrilled to help out.
I hope that the unwashed appear with their horde of kids and break out some lunch like bbq or fried plantain or whatever.
This should be a hoot.
And doesn't he look like the typical Queens politician with his stupid smug self satisfied "proud to be blah-blah' bullshit.
We've got curbs and roads that need fixing and trash that needs to be picked up, but we can afford to spend our tax dollars on those whose first act in our country was the break the law and don't even pay taxes so they can have benefits? What is this?
Next up, museum plaques dominated by Spanish. Where have the English signs gone?
Does Danny Dromm ever accomplish anything besides mugging for photo ops and championing gay rights?
Will the card give THEM free subway transportation too?
Folks, you made your welfare state bed, now don't complain about who or what crawls into it with you.
the Brooklyn Museum, the Met, the Cloisters and a lot of other museums have a pay what you wish policy. you could get in for a nickel. or a penny.
I doubt they will go to these places because it is not immigrant friendly enough. The poor dears will be subjected to actual cultural objects from American artists. How dare we do this to them? How terrible! Making them to go a museum when they could be out on the street with their five children under the age of twelve selling cotton candy in plastic bags or pirated CD's. you lazy Americans don't know how to work!!
Guess they are hiring to take the photos?
Danny Dromm is the most disgraceful hypocrite politician. Oh, sorry, I forgot Virginia Joe Crowley. Well Dromm's the second most disgraceful disgusting and vile politician on the planet.
Danny Dromm. From whence do such idiots arise?
AND the idiot directors of the cultural institutions go along with this Municipal ID Bullshit.
What a fantastic way to give terrorists easier access to the city..........this Mayor is weak and we will suffer another major attack while he is in office.........
Can't you put a guillotine blade in that window?
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