THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
NEW YORK

OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER
YDANIS RODRIGUEZ
  
CITY HALL
NEW YORK, NY 10007
(212) 788-7053

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Contact:  Maria Henderson | (646) 574 -7950 |  MHenderson@council.nyc.gov 

COUNCIL MEMBER YDANIS RODRIGUEZ NAMES BILL IN HONOR OF DECEASED BODEGUERO RAMON MURPHY 

New York, NY - Today, Council Member Ydanis Rodríguez of Northern Manhattan, along with executives of the Bodegueros Association of the United States (ASOBEU), members of the National Supermarkets Association (NSA) and relatives of Ramon Murphy, announced that Council Member Rodriguez will rename the bill known as "The Small Business Job Survival Act" (SBJSA) to the "Ramon Murphy Small Business Jobs Survival Act," in memory of the Bodegueros Association founder who recently passed away. Council Member Rodríguez, who seeks to save small and micro businesses in NYC, is the prime sponsor of the bill, and as a tribute to the legacy and contributions of Ramon Murphy, will be renaming the legislation.

Ramón Murphy was a prominent entrepreneur and founder of the Association of Bodegueros of the United States (ASOBEU) and a community activist. Murphy was one of the small businesses pioneers opening bodegas in New York City. One of his bodegas is located in the famous neighborhood of Harlem, where he stood out as a socially conscious business owner committed to empowering the communities of his neighborhood. Ramón Murphy served as the former president of the Association of Bodegueros in the United States (ASOBEU), a subsidiary that owns more than 10,000 bodegas in NYC. He always defended small businesses and was a tireless advocate for other bodega owners.

"Today I am here to pay respect to an immigrant man who fought for the well-being of thousands and thousands of men and women small business owners in New York City. In his honor, the 'Small Business Jobs Survival Act", will be renamed the "Ramon Murphy Small Business Jobs Survival Act". The legislation will create a Bill of Rights for commercial tenants and better conditions for merchants to sign and renew their commercial leases. This legislation honors the work that Ramon Murphy contributed to the bill when it was first introduced three decades ago. We have 30 sponsors and the momentum to move forward and honor the man that helped bring this measure forward," said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez.

"How much or what little I learned in business life was thanks to him. I have achieved success thanks to everything he helped me. We in the Association of Bodegueros will keep your name of Ramón Murphy alive," said Ignacio Castillo, President of the Association of Bodegueros.

"It has been a great loss. Ramón was a person who fought for all the merchants, for the community, he gave himself completely in favor of the next one. It really is very hard for us not to have him anymore. However, his legacy does not die. Thanks to the initiative of Council Member Rodriguez to name this bill Ramón Murphy we are sure that his legacy will continue," said Francisco Martes, Secretary of the Association of Bodegueros.

His mission to defend bodegueros took him to lobbying the NYC City Council, where in 2009 he fought for the passage of the Small Business Jobs Survival Act, which would have prevented the closure of more than 80,000 small businesses in the City and put an end to the extortion of landlords against merchants. Murphy understood the struggles of small business owners in NYC and because of his countless efforts to improve the lives of immigrants and small business owners, Council Member Rodriguez has renamed the Small Business Jobs Survival Act (SBJSA) as the Ramon Murphy Small Business Jobs Survival Act.
 
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**NOTA DE PRENSA**  
 
Concejal Ydanis Rodríguez nombrará proyecto de ley en honor a  Bodeguero fallecido Ramón Murphy
 
Nueva York, NY --  El Concejal Ydanis Rodríguez, junto a ejecutivos de la Asociación de Bodegueros en los Estados Unidos (ASOBEU), miembros de la Asociación Nacional de Supermercados, y familiares del fallecido; anuncian hoy el cambio de nombre del proyecto de ley conocido como "La Ley de Supervivencia de Empleos de Pequeños Negocios" (SBJSA)  a "Ley de Supervivencia de Empleos de Ramón Murphy", en memoria del fundador de la Asociación de Bodegueros. El Concejal Rodríguez, quien busca salvar las pequeñas y micro empresas en la Ciudad de Nueva York, es el principal patrocinador de este proyecto de ley, y decidió realizar el cambio nombre de la legislación como tributo al legado y las contribuciones del fallecido empresario.

Murphy fue un destacado y fundador de la Asociación de Bodegueros de los Estados Unidos (ASOBEU) y un activista comunitario. Ramón Murphy fue uno de los pioneros de pequeñas empresas de bodegas en la Ciudad de Nueva York. Una de sus bodegas se encuentra en el famoso barrio de Harlem, donde se destacó como un empresario con conciencia social, comprometido con el empoderamiento de las comunidades de su barrio. Murphy fue presidente de la Asociación de Bodegueros en los EE.UU. (ASOBEU), filial que posee más de 10,000 bodegas en la Ciudad Nueva York.

"Hoy estoy aquí para rendir homenaje a un hombre inmigrante que luchó por el bienestar de miles y miles de propietarios de pequeños negocios en la Ciudad de Nueva York. En su honor, la 'Ley de Supervivencia de Empleos Para Pequeños Negocios', es nombrada como 'Ley de Supervivencia de Empleos para Pequeños Negocios de Ramón Murphy'. La legislación creará una carta de derechos para los arrendatarios comerciales y mejores condiciones en las cuales los comerciantes firmen y renueven sus contratos comerciales. Esta legislación respeta el trabajo de Ramón Murphy, contribuyó al proyecto d e ley cuando se presentó por primera vez hace tres décadas. Tenemos 30 patrocinadores y el impulso para seguir adelante y honrar al hombre que ayudó a promover esta medida," dijo el C oncejal Ydanis Rodríguez .   

"Lo mucho o lo poco que aprendí en la vida de negocios es gracias a él. He logrado el éxito gracias a todo con lo que me ayudó. Nosotros en la Asociación de Bodegueros mantendremos vivo el nombre de Ramón Murphy", dijo 
Ignacio Castillo, Presidente de la Asociación de Bodegueros.

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