18 MAY 21, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Maspeth Federal Savings Bank campaign to
award small businesses and fi rst responders
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
AACEVEDO@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Maspeth Federal Savings
Bank has launched their
COVID-19 Giving Campaign
to recognize local small businesses
and first responders in the Queens
and Nassau county area.
This campaign is part of their
ongoing community giving efforts.
To date, MFS over $50,000 to support
various programs and initiatives,
such as securing 11,000 KN95 masks
and donating them to local hospitals,
nursing homes and first responders
in partnership with state Assemblyman
Brian Barnwell.
Their COVID-19 Giving Campaign
is another part of those efforts. MFS
is asking the community to nominate
local small businesses and first
responders for awards of $1,000
and $250.
They will select 10 small businesses
to receive a $1,000 award. Twenty
first responders and essential workers
will receive $250 gift cards and
two KN95 masks.
For each nomination received, the
bank will donate $1 (up to $5,000) to
a local charity.
The campaign will run through
the month of May, and nominations
can be submitted until May 31 on
their website, maspethfederal.com.
The winners will be announced on
their website and social media on
June 8.
“We are so proud to offer support
to our communities during this time,”
said Christina Zanca, vice president
and marketing director at MFS.
“Thank you to our first responders
and essential workers for keeping
our communities going.”
City Council passes small business relief package
to aid store owners during coronavirus pandemic
BY BEN VERDER
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
As the state’s stay-at-home measure
drags on and store owners
fi nd themselves crushed
under mounting expenses, the New
York City Council passed a package of
legislation on May 13 with the aim of
assisting small businesses.
The package contains a number of
measures which aim to protect commercial
tenants from harassment by
their landlords, and restrict the fees
that third-party apps such as Grubhub
and Uber Eats can charge businesses
during states of emergency.
“Small businesses are the heart
and soul of New York City, and right
now they are hurting,” said Council
Speaker Corey Johnson. “They need
help and this small business package
is designed to protect them during
this pandemic.”
To combat exorbitant fees charged
by delivery services, the council
passed two bills: one will cap the fees
services can charge restaurants during
states of emergency to 15 percent,
while the other prohibits the services
from charging restaurants for phone
calls made through their platforms
that do not result in an order being
made.
With restaurants limited to takeout
and delivery only during the
pandemic, these types of fees have
increasingly cut into their already
razor-thin profi t margins, restaurant
owners say.
“Delivery fees being 30 percent
were killing this business,” said
Manhattan restaurant owner Melba
Wilson, who joined a virtual press
conference ahead of the council’s
vote. Wilson says the 15 percent cap
may allow her to bring back some of
the employees she had to furlough in
March.
A Grubhub spokesman blasted the
legislation, claiming it would lead
to higher costs for customers, fewer
orders for businesses, and less pay for
delivery workers.
“This is exactly the wrong proposal,”
said John Collins. “Any cap on fees
represents an overstep by local offi -
cials and would not withstand a legal
challenge.”
Also included in the package is
legislation that fi nes landlords who
harass any COVID-19-impacted business
between $10,000 and $50,000 per
violation.
Another bill suspends the personal
liability provision in certain commercial
leases, which allow landlords to
hold tenants personally liable when
they are unable to pay rent, and can
lead to the seizure of tenants’ personal
property. The bill allows tenants to
hand in their keys if unable to pay
rent, eff ectively ending their lease.
“Don’t let me also live with an added
fear that losing my business isn’t suffi
cient, I might also lose my personal
bank account,” said Manhattan restaurant
owner Gabriel Stulman. “It’s
literally inhumane.”
To reduce the burden of sidewalk
cafe fees on restaurants with existing
outdoor tables, the Council voted to
waive the costs through the remainder
of the pandemic.
Many Council members, though
happy with Wednesday’s vote, said
they hope more proactive measures
are taken in the future, such as
measures that allow restaurants to
expand out into streets and sidewalks
to allow for more social distancing in
collaboration with the city’s incremental
open-streets program.
“I hope this will be just a fi rst step,”
said Park Slope Councilman Brad
Lander. “There’s so much more that
we have to do.”
From here, the package will go to
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s desk to sign.
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