Julie Menin, the former Chair of Community Board 1 who was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio to be the Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs, begins work on the new job today.
“I look forward to joining the Administration to implement the Mayor’s vision for this agency, which includes enforcing the City’s new Paid Sick Leave Law, enforcing the City’s consumer protection and licensing laws, working with small businesses to ensure compliance with all DCA rules and regulations, and making sure that, as the Mayor has stated, fines are not punitive or inequitable,” says Ms. Menin. “In addition, DCA houses the Office of Financial Empowerment which works to educate and empower low income New Yorkers.”
The Mayor was effusive in his praise of Menin when the appointment was made on April 24. “My administration is committed to ensuring that both consumers and businesses are armed with the information they need to build up the city’s vibrant economy,” Mr. de Blasio said in a statement. “Julie understands that small businesses are the key to economic growth in our city—and I know she will apply regulations with public safety, not city revenues, in mind.”
Menin has been a champion of small businesses in Lower Manhattan for years. After 9/11, she ran the non-profit Wall Street Rising organization, which aimed to help rebuild Lower Manhattan.
“I became a lawyer decades ago to protect consumers and help businesses comply with the law—and I’m thrilled to lead an agency that pursues this goal across all five boroughs,” she said in a statement. “This department has a real impact on the daily lives of all New Yorkers and plays a critical role in educating and protecting our city’s consumers and business owners.”
–Mike Hammer.
