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Challenges facing supermarkets and potential support measures
0:46:49
ยท
46 sec
Council Member Gale A. Brewer raises concerns about the challenges facing supermarkets in New York City and inquires about potential support measures. The discussion focuses on ways to help supermarkets, particularly smaller ones, survive in the current economic climate.
- Council Member Brewer mentions a bill to exempt grocery stores from the commercial rent tax in certain areas of Manhattan
- There is a need for dialogue with grocers about impediments to investment in new supermarkets or renovation of existing locations
- The FRESH program is mentioned as an existing support measure, but its effectiveness is questioned
- The potential impact of federal SNAP program cuts on supermarkets is highlighted as a concern
Gale A. Brewer
0:46:49
Thank you very much.
0:46:50
We'll go to the questions from my colleagues in a minute.
0:46:52
I just wanna talk about the supermarkets for a minute because two questions.
0:46:56
One, do you talk with grocers about impediments to investment in new supermarkets or renovation of existing locations?
0:47:04
I know you talked about the fresh program.
0:47:06
I'm concerned in Manhattan because I have a bill that says from Murray to 90 Sixth Street, which is that commercial rent tax, which I hate, at least exempt the grocery stores and particularly the small ones.
0:47:19
Maybe skip Amazon and Whole Foods and so on.
0:47:22
But I can't get any traction because everybody says, oh, lose money.
0:47:26
Well, the supermarkets are barely surviving.
0:47:28
So my question is, what do we do to help our supermarkets, generally?
0:47:32
That's the one way I would like to help them.