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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Pedro Goico, Treasurer of National Supermarket Association on Street Vending Legislation
3:25:55
·
165 sec
Pedro Goico, Treasurer of the National Supermarket Association and a supermarket owner, shared his perspective on street vending legislation. He emphasized the need for responsible licensing and fair enforcement for both street vendors and brick-and-mortar businesses.
- Advocated for granting licenses to vendors in a responsible manner, suggesting a gradual approach over 1-2 years
- Highlighted the importance of consistent enforcement of regulations for all businesses
- Called for fairness in decision-making, considering the long-term impact on both street vendors and brick-and-mortar businesses
Pedro Goico
3:25:55
Hey, good afternoon.
3:25:56
Buenas tardes.
3:25:57
My name is Pedro Goyco.
3:25:59
I'm currently the National Supermarket Association treasurer.
3:26:02
By the same time, I'm an immigrant from the Dominican Republic that came here at 14 years old with my mom looking for a better future like everybody else that has spoken here.
3:26:11
When that time, I actually my first job coming to high school was in a supermarket, I was bagging bags.
3:26:16
And then I weighed my weight over the supermarket and I can be so thankful, the owners of the supermarket.
3:26:21
Because thanks to them, twenty five years ago, given the education, given the supermarket, today I can say I'm probably on three supermarkets.
3:26:29
So what I want to say today here is and I've spoken with Perrine about this.
3:26:33
I have met in person with Sri Vending and Mohamed.
3:26:36
I think we have all the same the same solutions.
3:26:41
We know the solutions.
3:26:42
Is give them licenses in a very responsible manner, right, because we just can't lift the ban and that's it.
3:26:50
We had to see how things go for at least a year or two.
3:26:53
Once that happened, right, we had to also understand the enforcement had to be done.
3:26:57
Just like Pirina said, My mom told me many times, if you open that door you're gonna get hit.
3:27:01
If I open I got hit.
3:27:02
And I learned.
3:27:03
I learned that to open that door is not the right thing to do.
3:27:06
But there are rules or regulations that your counsel here pass and not to be respected.
3:27:11
In reference to the gentleman I was saying in Spanish, I think he's very lucky to receive a penny check because as a business making order I haven't received one of those in a long time.
3:27:41
Right?
3:27:42
So I'm as upset as she is for getting those thousand dollars ticket that she's getting because me as a brick in owner I just got a ticket for $6,500 because my temperature was under 36 degrees in one of my refrigerators.
3:27:52
So I understand what's getting a ticket as well.
3:27:54
What I'm telling you here is go ahead and I'm sorry because if you give a few minutes as you give them because of the translation, just like thirty seconds more, but if you can please, you know, do this.
3:28:05
This is a time that whatever you guys do, it will be like for the history.
3:28:09
There'll be people here and sitting here fifteen, twenty years from now in your your desk talking about what happened here today.
3:28:15
So let's be responsible about that and let everybody understand.
3:28:19
Give them the license, but let's do it fair.
3:28:21
This is not about being feeing petty about somebody.
3:28:23
It's about being fair for everybody.
3:28:25
Thank you and I hope you guys make the right decision.
3:28:27
And last but not least, that report from the independent business from the city, that's a very biased report.
3:28:35
The same way they're going to make 70 millions for the city, the same way we're gonna lose 50,000,000 brick and mortar.