A new City Council bill would yank the licenses of businesses that rack up thousands of dollars in unpaid fines.
The city is owed $1.5 billion in uncollected penalties on building and fire code, sanitation, health and other violations - all judgments handled by the Environmental Control Board.
Under the bill being introduced by Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan) Wednesday, businesses could lose their licenses or permits if they have $50,000 overdue for two years, or $25,000 overdue for five years. They’d also get hit if they owe $10,000 and fail to make three straight payments on a payment plan.
“There’s $1.5 billion that’s sitting on the table,” Kallos said. “Passing these laws to revoke permits would do a lot to improve quality of life.”
The legislation would mean construction sites that rack up debt for dangerous building code violations would have their permits taken away.
Other targets could be restaurants that don’t pay their health code fines, or businesses that leave sidewalks covered in litter or don’t shovel snow.
3 comments:
How did this get so far out of hand? Which city agencies are not doing their jobs?
Finally something from the Council that makes sense!
In the old days this kind of shakedown and threat was called Protection money so you could continue to make money and pay your tribute on time
Political Organized Crime Syndicate
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