New York's mom-and-pop businesses are an integral part of our neighborhoods. They're the place where you get your newspaper or a quart of milk, and they're run by your neighbors and friends. Unfortunately, these stores have been going out of business at a record pace under Mayor Bloomberg, who has put the interests of landlords and developers first. A recent study by the office of Representative Anthony Weiner shows the results: twelve percent of our storefronts are currently empty.
In the City Council Tony Avella has worked to stop this trend by co-sponsoring the Small Business Survival Bill, giving commercial tenants more rights. As Mayor, he would go much further, transforming New York City from one of the worst places in America to open a small business to one of the best.
As Mayor, Tony will:
- Regulate commercial real estate to protect small businesses from irresponsible rent hikes that force them out of business.
- Crack down on crooked landlords who demand small businesses pay illegal fees under the table to renew their leases.
- Support the manufacturing base in this city, which we're currently losing.
- Advocate for the rights of street vendors, especially disabled veterans.
- Make commercial sanitation pick-up a city service in order to save small businesses money and protect them from extortion.
- Reform the Business Improvement Districts so that they advocate for the rights of small businesses, not just landlords and property owners.
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Protect Our Neighborhoods |
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Tony Avella believes that the neighborhoods of New York City are as unique as the people who live in them. But they are threatened by irresponsible luxury development that brings in thousands of new residents, often without contributing anything to already-overburdened schools, transportation, and hospitals. Meanwhile, Mayor Bloomberg is on the side of the developers, using eminent domain to push through unpopular projects: for instance, Atlantic Yards in Downtown Brooklyn, the Columbia University rezoning in Harlem, and at Willets Point in Queens.
Tony's record shows a different approach. As Chairman of the City Council’s Zoning and Franchises Committee, he created new laws that fight the proliferation of luxury housing and protect the fabric of our daily lives.
As Mayor, Tony will continue to defend our neighborhoods and make New York a model of responsible, community-based planning. He’ll start by bringing residents to the table, letting the Community Boards develop their own plans for development, and giving their plans the force of law.
As Mayor, Tony will:
- Regulate the real estate industry.
- Give Community Boards the force of law when they work for years drafting their own plans for their neighborhoods.
- Stand up to the big developers who see only dollar signs when they look at our buildings and blocks.
- Stop the inappropriate use of eminent domain.
- Ensure that new parks are built, and that existing ones receive the proper funding.
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Tony Avella's record shows his commitment to creating an education system that works for all New Yorkers. As a City Council member, he worked closely with Parent Teacher Associations in Northeast Queens to make his school districts the best in the five boroughs. And when the Mayor failed to provide money for classroom technology, Tony secured the funding to acquire state-of-the-art computer labs and to install Internet wiring in schools.
As Mayor, the first thing Tony will do is fire Joel Klein and replace him with an experienced educator. He'll also allocate funds so that we're investing in our kids, not in bloated bureaucracies or corporate testing systems. Tony believes no one understands education better than the teachers, principals, and parents. He'll make sure these stakeholders have a voice and a seat at the table when planning the future of our schools.
As Mayor, Tony will:
- Fire Joel Klein as the head of the Department of Education and replace him with an experienced educator
- Open up the Department of Education to the parents and teachers who know our schools best
- Stop teaching to the test so that our kids can enjoy learning again
- Ensure that every school and every child has access to the latest technology and computers
- Begin the process of reinstating free tuition at the CUNY colleges
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Tony Avella believes that elected officials should focus on serving the people who put them in office. Tony led the charge against Mike Bloomberg when he ignored the will of the people and asked the City Council to overturn term limits, and he'll keep his promise to end his term after eight years.
When the City Council voted itself an unethical twenty-five percent pay raise--increasing their salary to $112,500 for a part-time job—Tony voted against it and then refused to take the money. He works full-time at his City Council job and he advocates that other City Council members be required to work full-time, too, so that they can properly represent the people of New York City.
Out of respect to the regular New Yorkers who come to City Hall to testify, Tony keeps a perfect attendance record at the City Council and is the only Council member who shows up on time for every session.
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Issues