Justin Brannan Says He is Number 2 – So Why Didn’t He Pass the Small Business Jobs Survival Act Yet?
If you received Councilman Justin Brannan’s Spring newsletter, you would have seen him tooting that he is number 2!
This should be great news for Bay Ridge small business owners, because as the new Number 2 in City Council, Justin Brannan will be able to take immediate action by putting SBJSA (Small Business Jobs Survival Act) to a vote.
SBJSA will create a fair commercial lease renewal process for small businesses. And communities won’t have to see empty storefronts all over their neighborhoods.
In 2020, Brannan was interested in helping small businesses in NYC:
Brannan introduced a bill for small businesses, but it wasn’t effective and didn’t go through. Brannan wanted owners to engage in good faith commercial rent leases. (See here) Owners aren’t going to do that, so even if Brannan’s bill went through, it wouldn’t have changed things for most businesses. Now that Justin Brannan is a NYC Council leader, he can make a major change to NYC for small businesses and bring SBJSA to a vote.
Recently, Peppino’s Restaurant in Bay Ridge let us know that it was a lot harder for businesses to make money, due to inflation. (See here)
Norma’s Arts and Crafts Store on 3rd Avenue received a large rent increase and she needed to close. (See here) If Brannan is able to get SBJSA, small businesses will be able to negotiate 10 year leases.
The bill has been in NYC Council for many years, but no one is brave enough to stand up and get it done. Corey Johnson was going to do it, but he got sidetracked and didn’t get it done. (See video)
Whose against SBJSA? REBNY – the real estate industry. Did they sidetrack Johnson? If Brannan doesn’t step up for small businesses, it will show he is a REBNY sweetheart. If you were the number 2 person in NYC Council – wouldn’t you have gotten some things done for Bay Ridge as soon as you became #2?
Brannan knows neighborhoods like ours have been waiting a long time for this bill. NYC Council need to o more to protect these small business owners.
Why haven’t local papers covered this story? Journalist don’t live in Bay Ridge, they print press releases and Justin isn’t going to tell them what he isn’t doing.
NYC Council has already researched SBJSA, so there should not be any more delays stopping this bill from passing before the Summer, especially when Brannan is #2.
.
Hugs,
marlene
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »