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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                   JULY 31, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 16

                     Small Business Owners, Community

               Leaders, Housing and Transit Advocates

                              Praise COGE Ballot Proposals

            New Yorkers applaud final ballot props to cut outdoor dining application timeline

              by 75%, speed up bike lane creation by 33%, accelerate nonprofit contracts and

                                       building permits, and strengthen rainy day funds

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            sidewalk  structures,”  said  Peter  Ma-
                                                                                                                  donia,  Chairman,  Belmont  Business
            NEW YORK, NY
                                                                                                                  Improvement District.
                    ayor  Mamdani’s  Commis-                                                                         “BOC Network applauds the Com-
                     sion  on  Government  Effi-                                                                  mission on Government Efficiency for
            Mciency  (COGE),  the  2026                                                                           advancing a vision of government that
            New  York  Charter  Review  Commis-                                                                   is  more  responsive,  transparent,  and
            sion, has released five final ballot pro-                                                             accessible.  Modernizing  government
            posals to make city government work                                                                   is not simply about moving faster—it
            better, faster and more efficiently for                                                               is about making public systems work
            New  Yorkers.  The  ballot  proposals                                                                 better  for  the  people  they  serve.  By
            address  outdated,  unnecessary  and                                                                  partnering  with  trusted  community
            redundant  requirements  in  the  City                                                                organizations, New York City can re-
            Charter  to  help  modernize  govern-                                                                 duce barriers, strengthen accountabil-
            ment  to  speed  up  permits  and  con-                                                               ity, and expand economic opportunity
            tracts,  save  small  businesses  money,                                                              for local businesses, nonprofits, child-
            accelerate  housing  and  street  safety                                                              care providers, and the communities
            and strengthen fiscal responsibility.                                                                 that  depend  on  them,”  said  Nancy
                Following  the  announcement,  instead of optional.”            get process,” said J. W. Mason, Associ-  Carin,  Executive  Director,  Business
            small  business  owners,  advocacy   “Affordable  housing  projects  are  ate Professor and Chair, Department   Outreach Center (BOC) Network.
            groups,  community  leaders,  housing  often slowed by a fragmented permit- of Economics, John Jay College, City   “Small  and  ‘Mom  and  Pop’  busi-
            and transit experts and more applaud- ting process,” said Samantha Magistro,  University of New York.    nesses embody the ‘American Dream’
            ed  COGE’s  efforts  to  make  govern- CEO of Bronx Pro Group. “A more   “Inefficiencies in bureaucracy are   multitudes of New Yorkers embrace,
            ment  work  more  efficiently  for  New  coordinated  approach  to  permitting  a  major  cause  of  governmental  dys-  yet cumbersome processes have halt-
            Yorkers across the five boroughs.     would  provide  a  predictable  path   function,  and  the  subsequent  under-  ed  progress  towards  that  Northstar.
                COGE  members  will  vote  on   from planning to construction, reduce   mining of public trust in government.   As  an  MWBE  and  Chair  of  Bronx
            adoption  of  the  final  report  and  bal-  unnecessary  delays  and  costs,  and  These proposed charter amendments   Community Board 8’s Economic De-
            lot proposals this evening at 5 PM in  allow  developers  to  better  focus  on   will  improve  the  lives  of  nonprofits,   velopment  Committee,  I  appreciate
            Manhattan.                        building  the  affordable  homes  New   small  businesses,  and  of  New  York-  the Mayor’s responsiveness, and look
               “Restaurants are integral to the  Yorkers  need.  Simplifying  permitting  ers as a whole, and add to the push   forward to supporting new businesses
            neighborhoods  and  communities  of  could also lower barriers for smaller  towards  effective  governance  by  the   with  these  expanded  opportunities,”
            our  great  city.  With  the  COGE  bal- and  emerging  developers  who  don’t  Mamdani administration,” said Fahd   said Constance D. Barnes, Ed.D, PMP,
            lot proposals on Outdoor Dining, we  always have the resources to navigate  Ahmed, Director of Desis Rising Up   Chair of Bronx Community Board 8’s
            feel  seen  and  heard  as  owners  and   a complex permitting process.”    & Moving (DRUM).          Economic Development Committee.
            operators,” said Juliet & Justine Mas-  “Unlike  the  federal  government,   “Every  step  toward  a  more  effi-  “Congratulations  to  New  York
            ters, Co-owners of The Edge Harlem.  the  City  cannot  borrow  to  meet  op-  cient and responsive government is a   City’s  Commission  on  Government
            “These proposed reforms will allow us   erating shortfalls. So it is important   step  toward  stronger  small  business-  Efficiency  –  the  Commission’s  rec-
            to reduce costs and reclaim valuable   to make financial provision for future   es,”  said  Cristy  Moya,  Director  of   ommendations to improve the City’s
            time by streamlining paperwork, elimi-  shortfalls. At the same time, hard rules   the Bronx Women’s Business Center.   procurement process are right on tar-
            nating unnecessary fines, and simplify- requiring fixed levels of contributions  “Reducing  red  tape  allows  entrepre-  get,”  said  Chris  Yukins,  Lynn  David

            ing complex regulatory requirements.”  to reserve funds and limiting with- neurs to focus on what they do best—  Research  Professor  in  Government
               “Thrilled to see COGE propose   drawals can be counterproductive by  building businesses and creating eco-  Procurement  Law  at  George  Wash-
            real,  first-ever  contribution  targets   limiting the City’s ability to respond to   nomic opportunity.”   ington  University  Law  School.  “By
            for the City’s rainy day fund. Not gov-  unexpected economic and fiscal devel-  “The involvement of local elected   reducing burdens and payment delays
            erned  by  hope,  but  rules,”  said  Aar- opments. The proposed target for City  officials in such an important use of   for contractors providing vital services
            on  Kinnari,  Founder  of  the  Future   reserve funds strikes good balance be- valuable  curb  space  is  critical.  Many   to the City’s most vulnerable residents,
            Forum. “Good years should mean    tween ensuring that the City is making   commercial  areas  that  rely  on  park-  COGE’s  proposed  reforms  meet
            building a real cushion for bad years.  appropriate provision for future needs,  ing  to  generate  business  such  as  in   Mayor  Mamdani’s  promise  to  make
            This  proposal  makes  that  automatic   while preserving flexibility in the bud- Belmont might be better served with   New York a better place to live for all.”

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