Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Lorelei Salas headed to East Fordham Road the morning of June 23. Although anytime is a good time to shop in the Bronx’s largest shopping district, she was there to educate.

Salas was joined by Councilman Ritchie Torres, and officials from the city Department of Small Business Services (SBS), Department of Sanitation and the Fordham Road Business Improvement District for a door-to-door trek for Business Education Day along the Bronx’ Fordham Road Business Improvement District.

Salas said the agency’s goal was to reach at least 80 businesses along the East Fordham Road strip to keep owners updated on the city’s rules when it comes to cleanliness, safety and business practices.

“Small business owners often don’t have time to come out and visit our agency where we’re located,” she said, “so we’re bringing information to them on all of the regulations they need to comply with.”

Wilma Alonso of the Fordham Road Business Improvement District said the nonprofit group strives to provide logistical support for DCA on Business Education Day.

“We alert the business that this will be just a visit, that it will not create any summons or inspections,” Alonso said. “We just want them to comply to all the rules, so they can avoid tickets.”

The agencies handed out business employees with informational packets that included a violation checklist to avoid fines. Common policies that general retail stores violate are failure to keep an updated and clearly visible refund policy and to give a complete receipt. Receipts must have the name and address of the business, cost of each item purchased, the transaction date, a separate line for tax, and a section that shows whether the business is a licensee of the DCA.

 

Sammy Levy is a supervisor at Pretty Girl, located at 203 E. Fordham Rd. He has been working there for 15 years. He was aware of Business Education Day.

“We don’t want to get any tickets,” Levy said, adding that he and his employees usually follow the workplace laws.

During the Bloomberg administration, small businesses across the outer boroughs were hit with more fines and increased inspections without warning than businesses in Manhattan. As the public advocate then, Mayor Bill de Blasio released a report in 2013 that revealed how the city generated revenue from these increased small business inspections and fines.

Councilman Torres said the 40 percent decrease of small business fines is a result of reforms under Mayor de Blasio and a corrective approach to small businesses.

“We see it as proactive outreach to small businesses. Supporting small businesses has been a priority for both the mayor and the City Council,” Torres said. “And the collaboration between those two branches of government has had a real impact in driving down fines against small business.”