➤ LGBTQ BUSINESSES, from p.18
Brooklyn. City Comptroller Scott
Stringer is also backing the bill,
saying in a written statement that
“it is imperative that New York
City join” other US cities that have
moved ahead with LGBTQ-owned
small business programs.
Yet, the measure has yet to receive
a hearing, fueling speculation
that it could be in trouble. Lovitz
said in an email to Gay City
News that there “may be some
misinformation or misinterpretation
of the bill that is preventing
the speaker’s offi ce from moving
the bill to a hearing and ultimately
passage.” He added that “councilmembers
and the speaker may
be concerned it runs afoul of law
governing MWBE set-asides.”
Bronx Councilmember Mark
Gjonaj, who chairs the Committee
on Small Business overseeing
the bill, did not respond to Gay
City News’ inquiries about the
legislation. Johnson told Gay City
News that LGBTQ business owners
should “celebrate and advertise
their LGBTQ-ownership status” if
they wish, but he also cast doubt
on any scenario in which they
would win enhanced access to city
contracts along the lines of the
MWBE program. He asserted that
state law “currently does not authorize
the city to give any preferential
contracting services to these
businesses, so it is unclear what
benefi t certifi cation would have.”
Several follow-ups with Johnson’s
offi ce, however, failed to yield
an unambiguous explanation of
how state law stands in the way of
preferential contracting access for
LGBTQ-owned businesses.
In the meantime, Torres is keeping
his focus on the current bill
before looking too far in advance,
but said he expects cooperation
➤ GIULIANI ZONING, from p.17
that there would be even less space
allowed for adult entertainment
than were contemplated in 1995.
Pauley’s concluding remarks
leave little doubt about his view
of whether there continues to be a
need for the zoning regulations.
“The adult-use regulations that
are the subject of these now-revived
constitutional challenges are
a throwback to a bygone era,” he
from the speaker’s offi ce. In an effort
to clarify any misconceptions
that may exist about the bill, he
told Gay City News on November 1
that it is “fundamentally different”
from the programs for traditional
minority and women-owned business
enterprises (MWBE), saying
“one has no bearing on the other.”
“We’re in a business where people
are conditioned to have a fear
about everything,” he said. “Ultimately
this is a fear that is unfounded.”
He added, “There is not a single
example of LGBT certifi cation
eroding a traditional MWBE program.
Not a single one.”
Torres is hopeful the bill will get
a hearing “early next year,” saying
the city’s lawmaking body does not
shy away from holding hearings on
controversial pieces of legislation.
He further explained that such
a bill could be benefi cial to those
who already participate in the existing
minority and women-owned
business program.
“The businesses overlap considerably
in a Venn diagram,” he said.
“There are LGBTQ women-owned
businesses, LGBTQ Latino-owned
businesses, LGBTQ African-American
owned businesses. Those
businesses would benefi t from
traditional MWBE set-asides and
LGBT certifi cations.”
While LGBTQ people of color and
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
women already have access to existing
MWBE programs, white gay
men, non-binary folks, and transgender
men would be able to benefi
t from certifi cation of their businesses
and perhaps someday have
a better shot at city contracts.
For now, though, Torres hopes to
at least certify the businesses — a
no brainer in his mind.
“If properly understood, this is
largely uncontroversial,” he said.
wrote, noting the city’s landscape
has “transformed dramatically”
since the “secondary effects” were
studied 25 years ago.
The city would be advised to negotiate
a settlement involving substantial
revisions to the adult-use
zoning provisions to refl ect New
York’s changed circumstances.
That could fi nally put to rest a longrunning
debate about the city’s
commitment to allow for adult expression
in public settings.
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