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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Mahmoud Zayed, Street Vendor
6:15:16
·
145 sec
Mahmoud Zayed, a street vendor since 2008, testified about the challenges faced by food vendors in New York City. He emphasized the high costs of fines and the unfair permit system that forces vendors to rent permits through the black market.
- Zayed paid nearly $5,000 in fines last month and about $12,000 in violations last year
- He has been renting a permit through the black market since 2009, as he couldn't obtain one in his own name
- Zayed is number 1259 on the waiting list for a permit and supports Intro 431 to speed up the permitting process
- He argues that allowing vendors to get permits under their own names would significantly reduce costs and benefit customers
Mahmoud Zayed
6:15:16
Hello, everyone.
6:15:17
My name is Mahmoud Zayed.
6:15:19
Before I give my testimony, I have a comment.
6:15:21
One of the testimonies were given early today.
6:15:24
One of the testimony says that we we are food vendors.
6:15:28
We keep getting tickets that we never pay.
6:15:30
We maybe we hang it on the wall.
6:15:32
And I, myself, I paid this month not this month, last month, four thousand nine hundred seventy five dollars.
6:15:41
And the last and I still have tick more tickets to come that I'm still fighting.
6:15:45
Last year, I paid 12 almost $12,000 for violation.
6:15:50
So we paid tickets.
6:15:52
They're trying to get us out of business, and we struggled to to continue with that business.
6:15:59
I I I've been a food vendor since 02/2008, and I started my own business 02/2009.
6:16:05
I had to rent a permit through the black market as I have never been able able to obtain one in my own name.
6:16:14
My business has grown over the years, and we now operate cars and trucks in Midtown, the Upper East Side, and Long Island City.
6:16:22
For years, I have been forced to pay thousands of dollars every two years to people who who were able to get permits directly from the city while they only pay a small fee, forced it to pay a shoulder a huge expense that ultimately is passed on to my customers.
6:16:43
The system is unfair and unsustainable to small business owners like me.
6:16:51
We need the city to issue more permits, and intro 431 is a clear answer to speed to speed up the permitting processes.
6:17:02
I am a number my myself, I'm a number 1259 on the waiting list.
6:17:08
And so far, the city has only reached for 865, the number.
6:17:16
And through 04/31, we will get more permits, vendor faster.
6:17:23
If all vendors can get permits under their own name, would reduce the cost of the significantly?
6:17:29
This will would allow us to lower our cost on the products that we use, which is
6:17:39
You're welcome.
6:17:40
Thank you.
Julie Menin
6:17:20
If all vendors gonna ask you to wrap up, please.
6:17:36
going Okay.
6:17:36
If you could just submit your written testimony, please.
6:17:38
Thank you very much.