Politics & Government
POLL: Are Fines Too High for Street Vendors?
Two new bills are cracking down on the high fines – as much as $1,000 – for street vendors who receive tickets.
Street vendors who are even inches too close to a subway station, or who set up on a block that is less than 12-feet wide, can get slapped with a fine of $1,000 – a hefty price for mostly immigrant vendors who only make between $15,000 and $20,000 per year.
Two new bills, Intro 434 and Intro 435 were introduced in November 2010 to combat these high fines. Intro 434, which had 33 cosponsors in January, would lower the minimum ticket to $25 and set the maximum fine cost at $250 and Intro 435, which had 35 cosponsors, would stop the ticket price for rising for unrelated violations, meaning that the fines only rise if the tickets are issued for the same violation, according to Gotham Gazette.
Do you think that the fines are high to prevent New York City's streets from becoming unregulated open marketplaces? Or are they hurting entrepreneurs, and people who are trying to make a living wage to support their families?
