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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Street Vendor on Vending Permit Reform
5:49:21
·
3 min
A street vendor, speaking through a Spanish interpreter, appeals for vending permit reform. She shares her personal experience of working in street vending for 15 years and the challenges of renting a black market permit, which consumes a significant portion of her earnings.
- The vendor owns a food truck but struggles with the high cost of renting a black market permit ($20,000).
- She expresses concern about not being able to save money for her children's education due to the expenses of the black market permit.
- The testimony highlights the fear and insecurity vendors face when operating without proper permits, having to run when enforcement officers arrive.
UKNOWN
5:49:21
Thank you for having us here.
5:49:24
I can see all of your women.
5:49:30
And I'm very pleased to see that because we are empowered women fighters.
5:49:38
And we fight to move our children forward thinking.
5:49:43
To support our children.
5:49:50
What I ask of you with all my heart.
5:50:05
So please make this reform pass because we are women and we want to do the best for our children, have them study.
5:50:13
And I also want to talk a little personally.
5:50:25
I've worked in the streets for fifteen years.
5:50:33
But unfortunately, I want to work under the law.
5:50:49
Three years ago, with a lot of effort, I I bought my food truck.
5:50:59
And I am renting a black market permit.
5:51:08
And I thought I would be okay, but unfortunately, it's not like that.
UKNOWN
5:51:11
Because
UKNOWN
5:51:15
the money that I thought I would be able to save for my children's future is being spent in other people's hands or passing to other people.
5:51:37
And I know that I cannot continue giving $20,000 away instead of for the city.
Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez
5:51:49
Because
UKNOWN
5:51:49
I want a better future for my children, allowing them to have studies with my own work and my efforts.
5:52:00
Because I already did it with one of my daughters.
5:52:02
She studied general nursing.
UNKNOWN
5:52:04
Yes.
UKNOWN
5:52:15
But I'm not being able to do it right now with my other three children because all the money that I'm earning is going away in the black market.
5:52:31
On my behalf and all these women with their children that we can move ahead and and yes.
5:52:50
So that's what we want That's what we would want you to understand.
5:52:54
And we ask you from the bottom of our heart.
5:53:08
We don't have to be running.
5:53:09
And if sanitation comes and they don't see my name on the permit, then we have to run.
5:53:15
And we live with this fear every day.
5:53:17
Thank you very