PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Purvi Panwala, Hotel Owner and Member of American Hotel and Lodging Association, on Intro 991-B
1:33:23
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130 sec
Purvi Panwala, a second-generation hotelier and member of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, testified in opposition to Intro 991-B. She emphasized the challenges faced by small, minority-owned hotels and the importance of subcontractors in maintaining hotel operations.
- Panwala owns a small boutique hotel in Brooklyn with 15 employees, many of whom have been with the hotel for 15 years.
- She highlighted that using subcontractors, while more expensive, ensures consistency in cleanliness, training, and staffing.
- Panwala argued that the proposed bill would be financially detrimental to small hotels already struggling with inflation and urged protection for minority-owned hotels.
Purvi Panwala
1:33:23
Hi.
1:33:24
Good morning.
1:33:25
Counsel members.
1:33:26
My name is Corby Panwala.
1:33:28
I'd like to thank you for allowing me to speak today.
1:33:31
I'm here both as a member of Ahoa and as a local hotelier to voice my opposition to INT 991.
1:33:38
I am a 2nd generation hotelier with literally a lifetime of experience.
1:33:44
Currently, we own a small boutique hotel in Brooklyn, New York, which employs about fifteen people.
1:33:50
Our hotel does its best to take care of its employees, giving competitive wages and flexibility and benefits.
1:33:56
Many of our employees have been with us since we've opened about 15 years ago, and they're still with us today.
1:34:02
We have all of our staff obtain human trafficking prevention training, which is an industry standard, and they take their fire, life, and safety training, which is a New York City standard.
1:34:12
As much as we do to support our employees and it continues to get difficult to maintain staff in a competitive workforce market.
1:34:19
With the challenges we face to maintain day to day operations and our guests offer our guests the best experience with a clean, hotel room and a safe hotel room, we still have to turn to subcontractors for assistance.
1:34:33
We've hired a minority owned vendor or subcontractor for our housekeeping department.
1:34:39
In doing so, we can ensure consistency in cleanliness and in training.
1:34:42
And the best part is, when my manager comes in the morning, he can depend on that department being fully staffed and fully trained for the day because if there were any callouts that's already been taken care of earlier in that day with the resources that they have.
1:34:58
Does this reduce our cost as a hotel?
1:35:00
Absolutely not.
1:35:02
It's actually a lot more expensive for us to hire these subcontractors.
1:35:05
But why do we do it?
1:35:06
Because it keeps our hotels clean and safe.
1:35:11
Small businesses are like individuals in the public.
1:35:14
We're all suffering from inflation, so any little burden financially is incredibly detrimental to us just like an individual.
1:35:22
If the bill remains many hotels will be in jeopardy, please protect MALL MINORITY OWN HOTELS LIKE MINE AGAINST THIS BILL.
1:35:30
AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU IF
Gale A. Brewer
1:35:31
YOU NEED THAT.
1:35:32
THANK YOU.
Elizabeth Sanchez
1:35:33
Reporter: THANK
