#New bill pits food carts against restaurants

New York is about to erupt in a food war.

A group of mom-and-pop restaurateurs, bodegas and grocers are launching a campaign against a City Council move to nearly double the number of street vendor permits over the next decade.

More than 150 food merchants and business groups sent a letter to Speaker Corey Johnson expressing opposition to the proposed law, which would hike the number of hot dog carts and food trucks allowed on city street from 5,000 to 9,000.

Many of the signatories are members of the New York State Latino Restaurant, Bar and Lounge Association.

One of them is restaurateur Sandra Jaquez, who owns Il Sole and Sa-Tacos eateries on Dyckman Street in Manhattan’s Inwood neighborhood.

Jaquez said there was a street vendor who sold tacos a block from her Mexican restaurant.

“I sell Mexican food and tacos. That’s what the Mexican street vendor was selling,” she said. “That’s super direct competition.

Jaquez pays employees, rent, electricity. A street vendors don’t have those costs.

“If I sell tacos for $4.50 and a street vendor a block away sells tacos for $2.50, the people are going to go the street vendor,” she said.

Noting that she’s not allowed to have indoor dining, Jaquez said, “Why not help us? We employ people!”

In the letter to Johnson, the merchants said, “Even before the COVID-crisis, many beloved restaurants, bodegas and smaller grocery stores were struggling precisely because large numbers of street vendors were able to open up . . . nearby their locations, taking away much-needed foot traffic…”

“Our city is facing an unprecedented economic crisis. At such a challenging time, it would be wrong and unfair for the City Council to essentially pick winners and losers, which is precisely what this legislation would do.”

Other business advocacy groups signing the letter opposing the food cart expansion include: the Downtown Alliance, Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District and the Long Island City Partnership.

The small business owners doubted that the cash-strapped city would have the manpower to crack down on illegal street vendors during the pandemic-fueled recession.

The legislation, sponsored by Councilwoman Margaret Chin and backed by 28 other members in the 51-member would create an Office of Street Vendor Enforcement.

State lawmakers have also pushed proposals to expand street vendor permits.

Speaker Johnson, through a spokesperson, said the Council is seriously considering passing the pro-street vendor bill.

“This Council has been a champion for small businesses during this pandemic, and we will continue to fight for all mom and pop stores. Sadly, brick-and-mortar businesses are struggling because of online shopping and the pandemic, but these street vendors are also long-time New York City small businesses that are hurting,” said Johnson spokeswoman Jennifer Fermino.

“The system we have now has led to a black market that exploits vulnerable workers, and frequent high fines for New Yorkers trying to make a living. No one wins if we continue to ignore this problem.”

Many New Yorkers expressed outrage when a woman with a churro cart was arrested for selling food in a Brooklyn subway station, which is prohibited.