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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by James Gonzalez, Co-owner of La Fonda on Street Vendor Reform
2:43:53
·
106 sec
James Gonzalez, co-owner of La Fonda, testifies in support of the street vendor reform package, particularly Intros 431 and 408. He argues that street vendors are entrepreneurs who contribute to the city's culture and economy, and deserve the same opportunities as other small businesses.
- Gonzalez emphasizes that the current system punishes street vendors and is outdated, unjust, and unsustainable.
- He views the proposed reforms as a chance to create a fair, enforceable system that allows street vendors to operate with clarity and respect.
- Gonzalez frames the issue as not just economic, but as integral to the soul of New York City and its ability to grow together.
James Gonzalez
2:43:53
Thank you, first and foremost, for taking the time to hear us out.
2:43:57
So my name is James Gonzalez.
2:43:58
I'm the co owner of La Fonda Aboriqua, or known as La Fonda now, the heart of the change in New York City.
2:44:05
And I stand here, not just as a small business owner, but as a New Yorker who believes deeply in the promise of opportunity, equality and dignity for all who labor to make this city live.
2:44:19
That's why I support the street vendor reform package, especially intros four thirty one and four zero eight.
2:44:25
They aren't just bills, they're recognition.
2:44:28
A recognition that the people selling food, t shirts, books, or belts on our corners and sidewalks are entrepreneurs just like me.
2:44:37
They are the beating heart of our neighborhoods, culture bearers, and job creators.
2:44:42
They are not a nuisance, they are a necessity.
2:44:45
Right now, we have a system that punishes the very people it should be uplifting.
2:44:50
It is outdated, unjust, and unsustainable.
2:44:54
But with these reforms, we have the chance to create a system that is fair, enforceable, and rooted in reality.
2:45:02
One where street vendors can operate with clarity, respect, and the same chance to growth that every small business deserves.
2:45:12
This isn't just about economics, it's about the soul of the city.
2:45:16
When we open doors for one another, we build a New York that thrives not just in profit, but in purpose.
2:45:24
If we allow these bills to live, we allow the people to live.
2:45:27
We begin to remember how to grow not apart but together.
2:45:32
Let's move forward not with fear but with faith, the kind of faith that built this city in the first place.
2:45:38
Thank you.