Consumer Affairs Commissioner Explains City’s New Approach To Small Businesses
Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Julie Menin spoke to a packed gymnasium at Brighton Beach’s Shorefront Y on Wednesday evening, where she outlined the city’s effort to reduce the burden of onerous fines on small business owners.
Menin described a number of reforms implemented by Consumer Affairs since she was appointed commissioner last year. Among them: Lowering the number and cost of fines, allowing businesses to correct a violation rather than pay a ticket, and providing greater transparency by posting inspection checklists online and conducting inspections in a business owner’s language of choice.
“I’m very happy to say that we have reduced our fines from $15 million in previous years to $10 million,” she said. “That’s $5 million dollars we’re putting back into the pockets of small businesses.”
The audience asked questions on a variety of topics, ranging from where to access government services to how they can navigate new business-related initiatives — like paid sick leave or the law requiring some companies to offer commuter benefits to their workers.
Lina Chen, who owns a senior care center on Avenue U, said the forum provided an opportunity for the commissioner to hear her needs.
“They have new policies to add benefits for staff,” said Chen. “But sometimes I think: Who’s taking care of the owners? Because a lot of small business owners are working very hard and then they get a violation. It makes things very difficult. So we want some solutions.”
The event also brought in representatives from Small Business Services, Build it Back, and the Department of Sanitation to guide business owners to resources and services provided by the city.
The meeting was part of an ongoing effort by Councilman Chaim Deutsch, who partnered with Councilman Mark Treyger to bring the commissioner down to Brighton Beach.
Deutsch said some of the department’s initiatives would help make commercial centers in his district more welcoming. A law signed by the mayor requiring companies to enroll workers in the commuter benefits program would free up parking spaces near local businesses. The program provides tax incentives for employers to provide a monthly travel stipend to their workers.
“The vehicles that are currently parked in our business districts are occupied by employees or store owners,” he said at the meeting. “We need to free up these spots to get you more business. Business owners need to offer incentives to our employees to come by mass transit.”
Deutsch is working to revitalize his district’s commercial centers, particularly the area around the Sheepshead Bay subway station, by increasing the number of sanitation pickups, heightening police presence, and encouraging shop owners to adopt a basket in order to keep trash off the streets.
“When people go shopping, they need to feel safe and they need to feel that area is friendly to shoppers. So we are ensuring that the business districts are clean. A clean place is a safe place,” he said. “When people put their life savings into a business, I want to make sure they succeed.”