Charles Passy’s article in the WSJ was a veiled plea to save the culinary scene of New York City. With two specific outrageous proposals, Passy’s economic bias here is unbearable.
First, he describes how “bar and restaurant owners throughout the city say such claims are being denied at the present time because of policy exclusions, despite the businesses having paid thousands of dollars for their property and casualty insurance over the years.” As a result, Passy argues that insurance companies should be forced to cover things they never intended to cover (nor could it ever have been an insurable event).
Second, Passy endorses a “measure to prevent landlords of commercial properties from enforcing provisions that hold tenants, such as bar and restaurant owners, personally liable for rent should they be unable to pay because of the pandemic.” In other words, Passy wants to allow tenants to not be personally responsible for paying rents though they specifically agreed to it.
New York doesn’t have the right to pass such laws, giving money out and interfering in contractual relationships in which they are not a party. Not only is it illegal and immoral, but unconscionable. It is astounding that the WSJ would allow such an outrageous article.