NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: NYC Decriminalizes Street Vending, New Jersey Expands Film Tax Credits, and Catalytic Converter Thefts Drop in the City

Episode Date: July 7, 2025

The New York City Council has passed a bill eliminating misdemeanor charges and potential jail time for street vendors who violate city laws. In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation to expand the state’s film tax credit program, reserving $250 million in incentives for productions that choose the Garden State over Hollywood. Meanwhile, the NYPD reports a steep decline in catalytic converter thefts across the city over the past three years.

Welcome to NYC Now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Monday, July 7th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. The New York City Council has passed a bill removing the threat of misdemeanor charges and jail time for street vendors who break the law. Karina Kaufman Gutierrez is the deputy director of the street vendor project. The City Council is really writing the wrongs of the past, where to ensure that street vendors are being regulated, like the small business owners that they are. Vendors can get a misdemeanor charge and up to three months in jail for violating the city's street

vending laws, starting at the end of December under this new measure, they would just have to pay fines. Mayor Adams has not yet sign or veto this measure. New Jersey is trying to entice more film and television producers to choose the Garden State over Hollywood or New York. W.D.M.C.'s. Mike Hayes has more. The Bob Dylan biopic, Happy Gilmore, too, and, naturally, the Bruce Springsteen movie, all filmed in New Jersey and all part of a financial push to bring more of the film bids to the Garden State.

Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation last week to expand the state's film tax credit program, reserving $250 million in tax breaks for those who make their movie or show in Jersey. But with the state facing a $1.5 billion revenue shortfall next year, Progressive Think Tank New Jersey policy perspective says, these corporate tax cuts are risky business. The NYPD says the number of catalytic converter thefts in the city has dropped drastically over the past three years. Catillate converters are devices on cars that help lower a vehicle's harmful emissions. Experts say people steal them because they contain valuable metals that can be extracted and then sold. Chris Herman is an associate professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

He says catalyated converters are also easy to steal. It doesn't take a lot of skill or expensive tools, and you can get a converter out in less than a minute if you know what you're doing. Herman and the NYPD say thefts have fallen dramatically. In 2022, thieves stole more than 8,000 of the devices in the city. last year, that number fell to around 1,500. 76, cloudy and humid out there, a chance of showers by late morning, then with thunderstorms through the afternoon, heavy rainfall at times, partly sunny mid-80s, it could be rough out there. Be careful. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WMYC.

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