Assesmblymember Harry Bronson is taking the Thruway Authority to task because of one of the restaurants chosen as part of a makeover of the Thruway service areas.
Bronson is upset with news that Chick-fil-A will be one of the new restaurants that will be part of a massive renovation, alongside Shake Shack and Panda Express.
Bronson and the other two legislators who are part of the Assembly’s LGBTQ caucus, Deborah Glick and Daniel O'Donnell, have written to Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew Driscoll expressing concerns about past support by Chick-fil-A’s charitable foundation for organizations that have been hostile to LGBTQ rights.
Bronson, a gay man, said that New York taken the correct policy decision to recognize the dignity and support the human rights of all individuals.
“When we’re making decisions regarding what vendor the state will contract with, or authorities the state will contract with, we should keep that public policy in mind,” Bronson said.
Bronson contends that the Thruway's plans to move ahead with Chick-fil-A as part of the renovation plans is inconsistent with that policy.
When Bronson posted his concerns on social media, there was a lot of support, but also some negative comments from people who feel travelers should have the option on whether they want to spend money at a private business. Bronson says that argument doesn’t work here.
“There is a huge difference between Chick-fil-A purchasing a piece of property or leasing a piece of property from another private individual. That's freedom of speech," Bronson said. "However, when the state is engaged in a contract with an organization that has a history of discrimination, that's inappropriate."
The Thruway Authority released the following statement to WXXI News when asked to respond to Bronson’s concerns.
"The New York State Thruway Authority, its Board of Directors, and staff support an inclusive environment that treats the tens of millions of people that travel our system with dignity and respect," the statement reads. "Our private partner in the Service Area redevelopment project, Empire State Thruway Partners, explored a selection of restaurants and finalized agreements with specific brands to operate at the redeveloped service areas to enhance and improve the travel experience for our customers."
The statement goes on to state that no public funds will be used to support the project.
"There are no state taxpayer dollars or toll payer funds supporting the redevelopment of the Thruway’s 27 service areas," the statement reads. "Every restaurant brand included by Empire State Thruway Partners has a contractual responsibility, and is legally required, under New York State law, including the New York State Human Rights Law and Executive Orders, to adhere to the inclusive and non-discriminatory standards that New York State embraces. "
Chick-fil-A, Inc. offered a statement claiming the organization does not have a political agenda.
“Chick-fil-A is excited about the partnership and the opportunity to further serve the residents of New York. We want to be clear that Chick-fil-A does not have a political or social agenda, and we welcome everyone in our restaurants," the statement reads. "We are proud to be represented by more than 200,000 diverse team members nationwide, and we strive to be a positive influence in our local communities. We do this, in part, by contributing $25,000 to food banks in each community where we open a new restaurant, and donating more than 10 million meals through our Shared Table program.”
Chick-fil-A has sat at the center of controversy since 2012, when public backlash reached a fever-pitch following CEO Dan Cathy was quoted as saying same sex marriage was "inviting God's judgment on our nation." LGBTQ advocates called for boycotts of Chick-fil-A, noting decades of donations to anti-LGBTQ groups, like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
In recent years, Chick-fil-A has vowed to refocus their charitable endeavors and donate only to specific causes combating homelessness, education, and hunger. In June, The Daily Beast reported Cathy was part of a group of American billionaires who donated to the National Christian Charitable Foundation, a national organization on the frontline of the push to kill the Equality Act.
Bronson said that he would want to see Chick-fil-A totally disavow any earlier backing of organizations who were hostile to LGBTQ rights and he feels that even if there has not been a recent incident of the company supporting anti-LGBTQ organizations, Chick-fil-A should be held accountable for past actions.
Bronson also started a petition for people who want to support his opposition to having the company be part of the restaurant mix in the Thruway renovation project.
Randy Gorbman is WXXI's news director.