Latest news with #BodegaandSmallBusinessGroup
Malaysian Reserve
01-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
LARGEST GROUP OF BODEGA OWNERS BACK INDEPENDENT MAYORAL CANDIDATE JOSEPH HERNANDEZ AT CAMPAIGN LAUNCH AS HE DEFENDS CAPITALISM AND REJECTS SOCIALIST POLITICS
NEW YORK, July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Independent mayoral candidate Joseph Hernandez officially launched his campaign for Mayor of New York City today at a press conference in front of the New York Stock Exchange, calling for a return to public safety, affordability, and independent leadership across all five boroughs. Hernandez, a Cuban-American biotech entrepreneur and political outsider, was joined by supporters, community leaders, and the Bodega and Small Business Group, the largest organized network of bodega owners in the city, led by its founder and president Francisco Marte. The group announced their official support for Hernandez's candidacy. The National Supermarket Association, a major voice for independent grocery store owners, also attended and expressed their support for Hernandez's pro-business, pro-community agenda. 'New York City became the center of the world because it welcomed strivers, risk-takers, and builders—not bureaucrats and ideologues,' said Hernandez. 'Socialism has no place in a city built on ambition, hustle, and opportunity. We must protect and empower the people who keep this city running: the small business owners, the workers, and the families who believe in the promise of New York.' Speaking alongside Hernandez, Francisco Marte emphasized the urgency for change and the importance of leadership that understands the city's small business economy. 'Our bodega owners work hard every day to serve their neighborhoods, but we're being crushed by crime, taxes, and neglect,' said Marte. 'We need a mayor who understands what it means to run a business and keep a community safe. Joseph Hernandez is that leader, and the Bodega and Small Business Group is proud to support his campaign.' With the symbolic backdrop of Wall Street, Hernandez drew a sharp contrast between his campaign and the growing influence of socialist politics in New York. 'This campaign is about restoring common sense to city government and putting working New Yorkers first,' Hernandez added. 'We need leadership that rewards hard work, supports entrepreneurship, and brings people together to solve real problems, not divide us with tired ideologies.' Joseph Hernandez will appear on the general election ballot this November as an independent candidate for Mayor of New York City. About Joseph Hernandez:Joseph Hernandez is a Cuban-American biotech entrepreneur and independent candidate for Mayor of New York City. A refugee and the son of a political prisoner, he immigrated to the U.S. at age seven and built a nationally recognized career founding healthcare companies and advancing public health innovation. He is running to restore safety, affordability, and accountability to New York City leadership. For more information, visit
New York Times
01-03-2025
- Business
- New York Times
It's Been Five Years Since New York Banned Single-Use Plastic Bags. They're Still Floating Around.
Since New York's ban on the distribution of single-use plastic bags took effect five years ago, Francisco Marte, who owns five bodegas in the Bronx with his brothers, has been conflicted about how to transition away from their use. At three of his stores, he has stopped handing out plastic bags altogether, charging customers a 25-cent fee for a reusable bag, which are more expensive for him to stock up on. But at the other two bodegas, in low-income neighborhoods, Mr. Marte hands out plastic bags to avoid passing on the cost of a more expensive reusable bag to residents. Still, he warns them that he'll soon phase out plastic altogether. Some customers have started to bring their own bags, he said, but it's 'little by little.' New York State's ban in 2020 was part of an effort to curb litter and minimize greenhouse emissions caused by plastic bag production. Mr. Marte, who is also president of the Bodega and Small Business Group in New York, said compliance with the ban had been mixed among the group's more than 2,000 members, which include corner stores, restaurants, barber shops and beauty salons. Many business owners don't want to charge their customers more by handing out the comparatively expensive reusable bags. Still, the number of plastic bags in circulation has 'reduced a lot,' he said. When the ban was announced, state officials said New Yorkers used 23 billion plastic bags each year, 85 percent of which ended up in landfills, recycling machines, waterways and streets. While the state has not collected comprehensive data on how many fewer plastic bags have been used since the ban took effect, a study by the New York City Department of Sanitation found that the prevalence of plastic shopping bags in the waste stream fell 68 percent from 2017 to 2023. The Bag Waste Reduction Act took effect on March 1, 2020 — exactly five years ago — though the coronavirus pandemic and a lawsuit from plastic bag manufacturers delayed its enforcement for months. Retailers receive a warning before being slapped with a $250 fine if they violate the law again, and a $500 fine for every violation thereafter. Despite the penalties, plastic bags are still a common sight on the streets of New York City. In part, that's because the rule, as it's currently written, includes several exceptions: Bags used to package bulk items, for example, as well as those provided by pharmacies to carry prescription drugs, are excluded. Restaurants are also exempt. Below, a visual tour of all the places plastic bags still show up in the city.
