Department of Consumer Affairs to give store owners break from onerous fines
Dep. Commish says plan is to reduce violations by $5 million
A high-ranking Department of Consumer Affairs official came to Bay Ridge Monday night and delivered some good news for struggling mom-and-pop stores: the city is going to get off your back!
Amit Bagga, deputy commissioner for external affairs at the Dept. of Consumer Affairs (DCA), told Community Board 10 that the agency is making a concerted effort to issue fewer violations against the city’s small business owners than previous city administrations.
In fact, Bagga said, DCA has set a goal of reducing the amount of fines levied against small businesses by $5 million by the start of Fiscal Year 2016, which begins on July 1, 2015.
In fiscal year 2014 (July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014) the city collected $16 million in fines against merchants for such violations as not listing the store’s name and address on a customer receipt or not listing a price on every single item.