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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Bill Bruno, Member of the Public from Jackson Heights
6:31:19
·
125 sec
Bill Bruno, a resident of Jackson Heights, testifies in support of Intros 408 and 431 regarding street vending reform. He argues that the current enforcement-heavy approach is ineffective and that a more balanced system is needed to address the needs of all stakeholders.
- Bruno emphasizes the economic importance of street vending and the need for a system that balances various stakeholders' needs.
- He criticizes the current enforcement approach, citing increased ticketing by NYPD, and argues for legalizing and educating vendors instead.
- Bruno supports removing the arbitrary cap on vendor permits (Intro 431) and providing education resources (Intro 408) to better integrate vendors into the system and reduce enforcement burdens.
Bill Bruno
6:31:19
Thank you so much, chairman Menon and council members.
6:31:23
My name is Bill Bruno.
6:31:24
I'm from Jackson Heights, the center of Mud Street Vendor activity.
6:31:28
I'm here to testify for intros four zero eight and four thirty one.
6:31:32
Street vending provides both an important business income and clearly a service community because people are shopping there and buying them.
6:31:40
So they meet a demand.
6:31:41
Since the sidewalk space, there's many users, you need to have a system that balances the needs of the stakeholders.
6:31:46
The current approach of doubling down enforcement doesn't do that.
6:31:49
Citing limits pointed out NYPD tickets in '24 is five times what they were in 2019 and twice as many in 2023.
6:31:58
So clearly the PR enforcement approach, did the trick.
6:32:02
This would have solved the problem.
6:32:03
Then also clearly our future enforcement is not being tried.
6:32:07
So instead, not only do we have a needlessly punitive treatment of street vendors, we don't have them in an organized system to be legalized, educated and their balance and everything will be better balanced.
6:32:18
Four thirty one removes an o four zero eight is an important part of educating them and that will, integrate them into the system and reduce the burden on enforcement.
6:32:28
Four thirty one removes an arbitrary cap.
6:32:31
Arbitrary is uneasy to organize the street spaces, doesn't get rid of the other sidewalk requirements like leaving sidewalk space and not crowding doorways.
6:32:40
Furthermore, enforcement efforts didn't constitute a permits could then regulate that.
6:32:44
I checked the oath database for my neighborhood, The two precincts to cover Roosevelt Avenue in 24 of the first three quarters, over three quarters of the police oath stuff, the summonses were for permits violations.
6:32:58
You're simply not being able to get a permit.
6:33:00
Only about a quarter were for the things you would want our enforcement to regulate, right, sidewalk space, proximity to doors and so on.
6:33:09
So in other words, you have a blunt instrument that focuses on that.
6:33:13
So by reducing the permit cap, integrating the system, providing education resources, you cannot only regulate them in a way that
6:33:22
Other alright.
6:33:24
Thank you.
Rob Martinez
6:33:21
Your time has expired.