By Colin Campbell 7/31/12 1:46pm

disagreements

Bloomberg at his press conference today.

Bloomberg Derides de Blasio’s Fine Lawsuit

A few days ago, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio filed a lawsuit against Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration for not providing data on the fines they’re increasingly handing out to small businesses. However, it doesn’t seem that Mr. Bloomberg is impressed with those legal endeavors.

“The only thing I can think of in this lawsuit is he seems to say that we’re wrong in enforcing the law,” Mr. Bloomberg told The Politicker after a press conference this morning, asserting the city government is simply doing its job by handing out the fines. “I don’t know, if you don’t like the laws, get the City Council to change them, but our job is to enforce the law.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/23/12 2:43pm

mom and pop shops

Councilman Gentile (Photo: Facebook)

After Opponent’s Attacks, Vinnie Gentile Touts Small Business Efforts

After GOP activist Andy Sullivan declared his intentions to challenge Councilman Vinnie Gentile last week, charging that the incumbent has done nothing to help small businesses, the Councilman doesn’t look likely to cede this ground to his opponent. He blasted out a statement this afternoon entitled “CM GENTILE VOWS TO END CITY’S ASSAULT ON SMALL BUSINESSES.”

“My district office in Bay Ridge is a storefront on Third Avenue. I am surrounded by restaurants, small retail stores and other mom & pop businesses. I hear what they’re going through with City agencies and they are not happy,” Councilman Gentile said last week to a room full of business leaders at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “There’s a place for enforcement of consumer rights and health standards but there is absolutely no place to turn enforcement responsibilities into revenue collection responsibilities. I am very concerned that the Departments of Health and Sanitation have become little more than extra tentacles for the City’s revenue collection.” Read More