City Councilmembers Try To Make Things Smoother For Small Business
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Members of the New York City Council want to make it easier for small businesses to do business in the city.
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Measures have been proposed that would identify violations for which businesses should get a warning instead of an automatic penalty or fine.
They would also simplify the permitting process, make inspectors more polite and professional, and eliminate obsolete rules and regulations.
Council Member James Oddo on Tuesday read an old newspaper story about one of them.
"Bars and tavern owners, over the weekend, were inundated with health inspectors who suddenly starting issuing violations for [no] 'no spitting' signs and the best that we could determine was those 'no spitting' signs go back to the days of the spittoon," Oddo said.
By the way, that regulation demanding "no spitting" signs is still on the books. It's one of many they intend to eliminate.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said that right now a business is required to include its license number on all advertising.
"So, let's say somebody forgot to put their license number on their business card because they don't think of their business card as advertisement, which you could see as an honest mistake," Quinn said. "That's a violation."
She said that has to go.
Are there any other annoying and/or arcane regulations you know of? Share them below.
