Res. No. 42
Title
Resolution calling upon the Mayor to revitalize the Mayor's Office of Industrial and Manufacturing Business and to expand the technical assistance the Office would offer manufacturing and industrial businesses in the City.
Body
By Council Member Cornegy
Whereas, According to a brief by the Pratt Center for Community Development, a healthy manufacturing sector is vital to the expansion of the middle class and to the growth of economic development in New York City; and
Whereas, Manufacturing jobs have historically been considered gateways to the middle class for people with limited educational backgrounds and English proficiency; and
Whereas, While New York City has made recent strides to encourage the growth of the manufacturing industry, through Industrial Business Zones (IBZs) and with the help of nonprofits like the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC), there are still many barriers preventing manufacturers from doing business in the City; and
Whereas, These barriers include a lack of stable industrial spaces, and a lack of a well-trained industrial workforce; and
Whereas, Given these barriers, it would be beneficial to industrial firms to have a City-run entity whose sole responsibility was ensuring the growth and support of the manufacturing and industrial sector; and
Whereas, However, City-provided technical assistance and support for industrial and manufacturing businesses is currently allocated to the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which are both entities with mandates that extend far beyond the support of the manufacturing industry; and
Whereas, As an alternative, many industrial and manufacturing related services could be transferred to the management of the Mayor's Office of Industrial and Manufacturing Business (MOIMB); and
Whereas, MOIMB was created by former Mayor Michael R. Bl...
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