TESTIMONY
Carlos Ortiz, Commissioner of External Affairs, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection on Enhancing Economic Lives of New Yorkers
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3 min
Carlos Ortiz details the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection's efforts to enhance the economic well-being of New Yorkers.
- Ortiz outlines the department's mission to protect New Yorkers' economic lives and does not regulate bank lending services but focuses on financial health and consumer protections.
- The department has delivered $390 million to New Yorkers, licenses used car dealerships, and enforces consumer protection standards to prevent deceptive or predatory practices.
- Significant cases against used car dealerships and for-profit colleges have resulted in millions in restitution and civil penalties.
- The department's financial empowerment centers have helped nearly 77,000 New Yorkers reduce debt by $106 million and increase savings by $12 million.
- Ortiz emphasizes the commitment to continue protecting and enhancing the economic lives of New Yorkers and looks forward to innovative solutions.
Carlos Ortiz
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Good morning, Chairman and Chair Williams, public advocate Williams, and members of the committees on consumer and worker protection.
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And civil and civil and human rights.
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I'm Carlos Ortiz.
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This is the Commission of External Affairs at the Department of Consumer Work Protection, and I'm joined by our Associate General Counsel, Andrew Schrank.
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Our agency's mission is to protect and enhance the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities.
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While we do not regulate bank and lending services, our work does focus on improving New Yorkers financial health and our enforcement of key consumer protections.
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And since the start of the administration, we have delivered $390,000,000 to the Pakistan, New Yorkers across all our areas of work.
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DCWP is committed to protecting consumers from deceptive or predatory trade practices in the market place and ensuring that consumers have relief if their rights have been violated.
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We accomplish this through robust enforcement of our licensing laws and of the city's Hallmark Consumer Protection Law.
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For example, we license approximately 470 used car dealerships across the Five boroughs and regulates the specific requirements dealers must adhere to regarding our consumer protection standards.
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These include price display requirements, various disclosure requirements, including a financing disclosure, and a prohibition on false advertising.
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Moreover, under the Consumer Protection Law, all businesses are prohibited from engaging in deceptive or unfair trade practices.
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Under mayor Eric Adams administration, we have announced major victories on behalf of consumers through proactive investigations into used car dealerships.
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In total securing more than $7,000,000 in restitution and civil penalties in this specific area of work.
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A recent highlight of our work and to use card dealerships just announced this past January, concerning an entity known as 26 Motors.
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Our agreement secured $1,500,000 in restitution for consumers required the closure of 5 dealerships, and barred 5 individuals from owning a used car dealership from the next 5 years.
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We've also brought significant cases against for profit colleges under the Consumer Protection Law such as Berkeley And ASA College for running misleading and deceptive advertising.
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In just those two cases alone, we secured close to half a $1,000,000 in civil penalties, as well as $20,000,000 in debt relief for New Yorkers.
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Each of these cases drives home the message to New Yorkers that this administration will continue to protect and support working people in our city.
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We also strive to ensure that New Yorkers are educated on their rights and protections.
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And since the start of the administration, we have held within 1400 average events, reaching over a 105,000 attendees to educate New Yorkers about DC to BP.
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DCWP also offers innovative programs and services to support New Yorkers in improving their financial health.
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One of our key programs is our network of financial empowerment centers.
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Residents across all five boroughs can visit for free.
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1 of more than 37 financial empowerment centers to receive confidential one on one professional financial counseling.
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Our trained financial counselors help clients navigate their finances create a budget, open safe and affordable bank accounts, and so much more.
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Our financial coaching and counseling places an emphasis on on financial education.
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To help clients reach both short term and long term financial goals.
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Clients that come to our centers looking for assistance with loans are provided with an in-depth understanding of their rates terms and possible risks involved.
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And we also offer additional options for clients to find safe and affordable financial products, including bank accounts.
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Since the inception of the Financial Environment Centers, we have served nearly 77,000 Yorkers, helping them reduce their debt by a $106,000,000 and increase their savings by $12,000,000 in total.
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We are incredibly proud of our financial empowerment programs overall and the successes that New Yorkers have achieved.
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I mentioned earlier, DCWP is committed to protecting and enhancing economic lives of New Yorkers, and we look forward to working with this council to find new and innovative ways to continue doing so.
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Thank you for the opportunity to speak today with you, and I look forward to your questions.
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