REMARKS
Council Member Christopher Marte's remarks on Intro 1097 regarding OTC card acceptance
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Council Member Christopher Marte presents Intro 1097, which would require most businesses to accept OTC (Over-The-Counter) benefit cards. He explains the importance of these cards for seniors and people with disabilities, highlighting the need for broader acceptance to improve access to healthy groceries and medicine.
- OTC cards provide hundreds of dollars monthly for healthy groceries and medicine, but benefits do not roll over
- The legislation aims to make OTC card acceptance citywide, benefiting both cardholders and local businesses
- Marte's office has already seen success in encouraging businesses to accept OTC cards in his district
Christopher Marte
0:05:36
Good afternoon.
0:05:36
First, I'd like to thank chair Menon for the hearing this bill today and council member Riley for introducing and working with me, to get it to this point.
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We are here today to discuss intro ten ninety seven, which will require most businesses to accept OTC cards.
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OTC cards are benefit cards similar to EBT that seniors and people with disabilities can get from their health insurance that provides hundreds of dollars a month for them to spend on healthy groceries and medicine.
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These cars can be literal lifeline for these people who need access to affordable fresh products the most, yet many businesses in New York City do not accept them.
0:06:14
What makes OTC card different from SNAP and EBT is that these benefits do not roll over every month.
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If you don't use the benefit, you lose it.
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Again, if you don't use it, you lose it.
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We drafted this legislation after constituents in my district of Lower Manhattan told me that they had to go to a fine fair in Brooklyn to find businesses that accepted their OTC card.
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That is unacceptable.
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Nobody should have to travel to another borough just to have affordable health groceries and to purchase their medicine or prescription needs.
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We also know that this legislation will work.
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In 2023, my office sent letters to over a hundred businesses in my district informing them about the OTC card and requesting them to start accepting them.
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Now businesses all over my district, from the mom and pop shops in Chinatown to the large supermarkets like Metro Acres, are advertising that they now accept OTC cards.
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Introduction ten ninety seven will do this citywide, informing business owners about OTC cards and their benefits of accepting them.
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If we pass this bill, it will be a win win solution.
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OTC cardholders will be able to buy healthy food locally, and business owners, especially small business owners, will see increased revenues from OTC cardholders having thousands of dollars to spend at their local store.
0:07:38
Finally, I'd like to thank local community activists like district leader Ron Thomas and Cheryl Freeman, among others who have been advocating and organizing around this issue for years.
0:07:47
I look forward to our hearing today and for a quick passage of this legislation.
0:07:51
Thank you.