THE BRONX, New York (WABC) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani appointed New York’s first-ever mom and pop czar on Tuesday, with the mission to help reduce red tape for small business owners around the city.
“Bites on Valentine” was the bright idea one mom was determined to bring to life in the Bronx, with fun food, catchy quotes and a philanthropic mission to give her family a better life.
“We’re trying to achieve the American dream, and so with that, I’m not even quite sure clearly what that is, but at this point, it’s having a situation that is set and ready for our daughter,” said Dianna Peralta, the owner of Bites on Valentine.
However, getting the business ready to succeed was like having all the ingredients but no recipe. The city offered help, but it was all knotted up in red tape.
“It’s a lot of running around or sending you to a different department or a different department from there,” Peralta said. “It’s just… you don’t get the help that you need to be able to make a business thrive here.”
But Mamdani wants to change that, and on Tuesday, appointed a so-called “mom and pop czar” to work closely with the city’s Department of Small Business Services, and to help cut through the red tape.
Delia Awusi was hired to reduce the runaround mom and pops often face in dealing with permits, inspections and fines.
“And then they have all these questions they can’t find the answers,” said Lisa Sorin, the president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce.
Sorin says having one voice to give small businesses a seat at the table at City Hall is a positive move as long as it’s executed correctly.
“Our concern as a business, as a chamber, when working with the city is how much teeth will these new appointments have? Because if they don’t, it’s almost like a sounding board and we have plenty of those,” Sorin said.
The owners of Bites on Valentine say multiple businesses before them failed because they believe they didn’t get enough help from the city.
The vast majority of small businesses in the Bronx are what are known as “ultra” small businesses, meaning they have fewer than 10 employees. They need every ounce of help they can get to get off the ground.
“Hopefully, there will be less red tape. A lot less back and forth with this agency,” Peralta said.
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