In his crazy-busy first week, Mayor Eric Adams still found time to issue an executive order forcing city agencies to “reduce needless fines and penalties” and slash red tape” — clear support for local businesses.
What Adams calls “relief to our hard-working entrepreneurs” is sorely needed in this time of COVID restrictions and near-empty offices.
The order targets the departments of Sanitation, Health and Hygiene, Consumer Protection and Buildings, as well as the FDNY — agencies, the mayor notes, that perform “important functions” but have been insufficiently “business-friendly.”
All must “promptly review business regulations, with the goal of encouraging compliance, reducing fine schedules and allowing for cure periods or warning for first-time violations,” Adams said.
Bringing business back to life was, after all, one of his campaign promises: “This is going to be a place where we welcome business and not turn into the dysfunctional city that we have been for so many years.”
With so much dysfunction to end, it’s great to see the new mayor hit the ground running.