06/20/2013
CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLE IN TODAY"S STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE!!!!
GoBizNYC provides Staten Island small businesses with a direct pipeline to candidates for elected office
Mayoral candidates forum.jpgGoBizNYC members will be able to bring their concerns to candidates for election. In this photo Democratic candidates for mayor, former Councilman Sal Albanese, Comptroller John Liu, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, former Comptroller William Thompson and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, attend a Staten Island Democratic Mayoral Forum at the College of Staten Island in April.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Carol DiMarco, owner of Blue Label Design, a full-service print distributor in Dongan Hills, hopes her concerns about running a small business will now be heard via GoBizNYC, a new coalition launched on Wednesday that gives New York City entrepreneurs a voice in the political realm.
GoBizNYC is comprised of small businesses, startups, chambers of commerce, trade associations, and civic and community groups collectively representing over 20,000 enterprises across the city. It aims to engage the small business community about issues that affect the broader New York City economy.
GoBizNYC pledges to provide small business leaders with a platform to raise their issues and concerns with candidates for elected office, as well as with the media and each other.
"I'm excited about being a part of the GoBizNYC coalition to help small businesses and entrepreneurs. As a small business owner, I know firsthand the problems that we face every day," said Ms. DiMarco.
"I believe if we work together and raise our voices together, we can be heard at City Hall. With the 2013 elections coming up, this is our opportunity. Our voices and votes can make a difference," she added.
Issues GoBizNYC will address stem from the NYC Jobs Blueprint, recently released by the Partnership for New York City, that takes an in-depth look at the state of the economy and offers recommendations for the next mayor.
"With small business owners employing over 88 percent of New Yorkers and leading the charge to expand economic opportunity in communities from the Rockaways to Washington Heights, they deserve to have a prominent voice in shaping the future of New York," said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City.
In addition, GoBizNYC is committed to providing opportunities to its members to engage with candidates for City Council and other elected offices through one-on-one meetings, campaign events, and town hall forums.
The organization can be found on the web at www.gobiznyc.org.
GoBizNYC is a coalition of small business owners and entrepreneurs. Our mission is to shape the policy agenda of 2013 and ensure that New York City has leaders who understand the needs and issues of the small business and start-up community.
