Hispanic Business and New Rochelle’s Success
Hispanic business and small business is at the forefront of Noam Bramson’s campaign platform.
In his bid for the County Executive seat in Westchester County, Noam Bramson hopes to take some of the lessons learned in New Rochelle, N.Y., with regard to small business and Hispanic business and apply them countywide. A lifelong county resident, Bramson has served on the New Rochelle City Council for 10 years and as the community’s mayor for eight years. “In New Rochelle we’ve pursued a forward-looking strategy for economic development that has attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment to our downtown and surrounding areas. It’s created hundreds of jobs and it’s generating a net positive of about $8.5 million dollars every year for taxpayers,” he explains. “Looking forward I think there’s much more that the county can and should do in order to ensure that we have a vital, growing regional economy.” During his tenure as mayor, Bramson has worked to construct relationships with business leaders on an individual basis and through organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, the city’s Downtown Business Improvement District, Westchester County Association and the Westchester Business Council. The Bellas Artes Business Council in New Rochelle is another organization he has worked with. The council helps entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations enhance opportunities for successful development, growth and marketing with a special focus on building capacity and establishing support networks among Hispanic-owned businesses. When it comes to Hispanic business, he is quick to point out that Latino business owners and entrepreneurs have contributed greatly to the county’s economy. To help Latino residents Bramson proposes several initiatives:- A champion of comprehensive immigration reform for those who are right now undocumented or aren’t sure of their status, Bramson says a path to citizenship should be provided so people don’t have to hide in the shadows and can contribute more fully to the community.
- For many Hispanics and those who face barriers related to English language proficiency, it’s important that the county provide robust opportunities for English language instruction so that individuals and families are fully able to receive the opportunities around them, he says.
- Partnerships are also key. “I think we want to encourage the same kinds of partnerships, the same kinds of umbrella organizations that have been so helpful in assisting businesses owned by folks of any ethnic group because that provides information sharing, mutual support, networking and other measures that enable people to achieve success,” he explains.
- It’s also important, according to Bramson, that the county have clear, transparent standards for Hispanic businesses and other minority and women-owned enterprises so that, through the contracting process, “we are making sure that businesses that are owned by Latinos are given a fair shot to compete and I think we need to affirm the principle that we’re all in this together, that everybody in our community counts and that all of us benefit from a spirit of equal opportunity for every resident of Westchester.”