Brooklyn City Councilmember David Yassky, who is the Chair of the Council’s Small Business Committee as well as a possible Comptroller candidate in 2009, made the short ride from Brooklyn to Queens to address business leaders at a recent breakfast at the Douglaston Manor.
Yassky told the nearly 100 business leaders in attendance that during the difficult economic times, there are a number of things the city can try to do to help businesses, including looking for ways to help with healthcare costs and eliminating the unincorporated businesses tax. However, he also said that while there are things government could do to help businesses, it’s also important for them not to get in the way.
“It’s hard enough to run a business without having someone from government walk in and add expense,” Yassky said.
The breakfast, which was organized by the DSNYgroup and its CEO Dennis Sneden, also featured distinguished panelists from local businesses including The Queens Courier CEO and Publisher Victoria Schneps-Yunis and Jack Friedman, Executive Vice President of the Queens Chamber of Commerce.
“We as the business community are the economic engine,” Sneden said.
Friedman introduced Yassky during the breakfast and talked about the Chamber’s desire to become involved with many business institutions throughout the borough - both large and small.
“Our lifeblood is our small businesses, those are what keep us going,” Friedman said.
While most of the panelists agreed that it was a difficult time for businesses, they stressed that in order to get through the tough times organizations should work together.
