Bureaucratic Expertise

The hearing yesterday at the City Council's Small Business Committee on two bills that would create a level of due process fairness went extremely well and we send special kudos to Chairmen David Yassky and the bills' sponsor, Councilman Jim Gennaro. Gennaro in particular since we have had our differences with him over the pilot program for garbage grinders. What Jim showed yesterday that he does have a strong concern for the city's shopkeepers.

The hearing did get a small amount of coverage in the NY Post today and the paper focused on the "loony laws" that the city has on the books (like the law that says you can't wash the sidewalk with a hose). We've always said that the city code is confusing, out-of-date and needs to be overhauled. That being said, we need to insure that all aspects of the regulatory process get reformed, since shopkeepers are being fleeced from enforcement on the street right on to adjudication at ECB.