In Memoriam: Richard Brodsky, Car Rental Industry Champion

Former N.Y. state assemblyman Richard Brodsky has died. According to the Journal News, Brodsky died at home after experiencing symptoms consistent with coronavirus, though he had not yet received test results. 

Brodsky served in the N.Y. State Legislature from 1983 until 2010. 

“Veterans of the car rental industry, specifically New York, will remember that Assemblyman Brodsky was a champion of our industry,” said Gil Cygler, former owner of AllCar, an independent car rental company serving New York City. 

In 1989, the N.Y. State Legislature passed a law that allowed car rental companies to collect only $100 for damages caused to vehicles by renters or third parties. The move was crippling to the New York car rental industry, Cygler said. 

A number of car rental operators banded together to lead the effort to have the law repealed, said Cygler. The effort was led by Richard Aronow, an independent car rental operator and constituent of Assemblyman Brodsky. The law was eventually repealed in the mid-90’s. 

“Assemblyman Brodsky quickly understood the issue and its nefarious implications on the entire car rental industry in general and independents in particular,” Cygler said. “It took several years and countless trips by car rental operators to the State Capitol to finally see the law changed.”