Q&A
Council member inquires about specific fines affecting small businesses
2:40:26
ยท
150 sec
Council Member Oswald Feliz asks panel members about specific fines that negatively affect small businesses in their areas. The discussion reveals several key issues:
- Repeat fines for the same issues due to lack of awareness on how to cure violations
- Difficulties navigating online systems, especially for immigrant businesses
- Upcoming charbroiler rule and its potential impact
- Challenges with safety-related enforcement agencies like DOB and FDNY
- Importance of access to legal services to understand and address violations
- Panel members highlight the need for better outreach and education about regulations
- The discussion emphasizes how lack of legal counsel can lead to accumulating fines and business closures
- Industry-specific fines are mentioned, but the overarching issue is the inability to understand and address violations promptly
Oswald Feliz
2:40:26
Thank you.
2:40:26
Thank you so much, for your testimony.
2:40:29
Quick question.
2:40:30
Same question that I asked earlier.
2:40:32
Are there any specific fines that you continue to hear about affecting negatively affecting, small businesses in your the area that you serve?
2:40:40
And if if you're not sure, that's fine.
Ahyoung Kim
2:40:43
Chair, I think, there's a lot of, businesses that are constantly hitting, being hit with the same issue that was not properly cured before, and there is a systematic issue where individuals are not aware how to cure their previous fines and tickets, and that is triggering agency.
2:41:06
I think, previously, we've already heard a lot of, comments about how it's impossible for, especially immigrant businesses to navigate the online system.
2:41:14
My clients are having the same issue as well.
2:41:16
Another thing we are bracing for actually is also the charbroiler rule that is going to come to effect soon, I I believe.
2:41:23
And, there has been very little, if any, outreach about this rule that's going to come into enforcement.
2:41:29
And, especially immigrant businesses who often do use many types of charbroilers, are going to be impacted by this.
2:41:36
And, also, when there is a new rule that is being enforced, it's often, that these rules trigger the most amount of tickets in, particularly immigrant commercial corridors.
2:41:48
So we're bracing for that.
Oswald Feliz
2:41:50
Okay.
2:41:50
So basically not anything related to the types of fines, but more like a repeat fine for the same issue regardless of what the issue is.
Ahyoung Kim
2:41:58
Yes.
2:41:58
That is the biggest issue.
2:42:00
But, also, there are certain, agencies that is, especially difficult for business owners to deal with.
2:42:07
Those who do safety related, enforcement, like DOB or FDNY, are particularly difficult.
2:42:12
And it's difficult
UNKNOWN
2:42:12
to also, like, get feedback
Ahyoung Kim
2:42:12
on, like, what needs to be difficult.
2:42:13
And it's difficult to also, like, get feedback on, like, what needs to be cured for them to, to, you know, to cure the issue and not be, like, ding the game for the same ticket.
2:42:23
So, again, like, there's a recurring violation tickets that they reserve, receive.
Andrea Tan
2:42:31
Hi.
2:42:31
Thank you, chair.
2:42:32
I think that it depends on the industry.
2:42:34
The fines could be different.
2:42:36
But in the end, if a business owner doesn't have access to legal counsel to be able to understand what happened and they can cure on time, then they just don't do anything about it.
2:42:45
And then the tickets accumulate, interest accumulate, and so they end up closing businesses because of that.
2:42:51
So access to legal services is key.
2:42:53
Free legal services.
2:42:54
And I don't think there's enough out there for