LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Open your eyes

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “Councilman seeks way to keep small stores in business,” Nov. 1)

One may debate whether Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez’s Small Business Jobs Survival Act is the best way to counter the loss of neighborhood businesses and increase of storefront vacancies. But if it needs to be improved, then do so. Doing nothing should not be an option.

Rodriguez should be given credit for recognizing a problem that our councilman, Andrew Cohen, appears ignorant of. Cohen says “having a dynamic marketplace makes sense to me — to have new businesses come in that bring new services that reflect the community as it is currently, not how it was 10 or 15 or 20 years ago.”

Mother’s Bakery and the neighboring fish store on West 235th Street in Riverdale did not go out of business because they no longer reflected the needs of the community. They still had plenty of customers. Rent gouging by their landlord forced them out.

Perhaps Cohen should see what’s actually happening before commenting. He seems to have the problem of Larry Fine, who said, “I can’t see. I can’t see. Oh, I got my eyes closed.”

Richard Warren

Richard Warren

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