By Monir Khilla —
The fate of the food trucks that serve the NJCU campus community remains up in the air. A proposed law that would force the food trucks to move every 20 minutes was introduced by the Jersey City council at the end of 2011 – but that ordinance has been tabled.
City officials said at press time there were no plans to reintroduce it. “It’s not on the agenda for the up coming meetings yet,” said an official with the Jersey City clerk’s office. The ordinance was tabled after an outpouring of concern from the campus community. City officials claim to have received an onslaught of e-mails and phone calls protesting the law.
The reason the law was introduced was due to many restaurant complaints from the downtown area of Jersey City. Food trucks park in front of restaurants and take away business, prompting restaurant owners to complain.
Gus Papathanasis, owner of “Gus’s Breakfast and Lunch,” and his brother William Papathanasis, owner of “Bill’s Lunch Truck,” have been catering to the campus community for over 27 years, along with their colleague Jose Gomez and Ivan Velez, respectively. Gus operates on Kennedy Blvd., while his brother, William (“Billy”) has been operating on Audubon Avenue.
They have never had a problem with being forced to move – until recently. “On Wednesday [December 14, 2011] they made us move,” said Gus, “They [the city] told me I had to move every 20 minutes and I can only come back to the same spot after four hours”
Gus thinks that “The city should let us stay in the same spot; I would pay just so I can stay.” Wynalda Philippe, 21, Biology major, from Irvington said that, “The school food is expensive and this food is convenient.”
Philippe thinks that, “[The city] should let them stay where they are. They’re not bothering anyone. If someone wants to go to a restaurant, let them, it’s their choice.”
Theresa Tredwell, graduate student in Literacy Education, from Jersey City, said that she has been going to “Gus’s Breakfast and Lunch” since 1999.
“Last time they made them move [in 2009], we were furious. We made flyers and posted them everywhere. We were saying ‘GET OUR TRUCKS BACK!’”
In offering a solution Tredwell said that, “The city should let them stay. It’s an urban school and not everyone can afford the prices. The city should give them a license or whatever they need to stay.”
Gus said “The school should call [the city] and tell them to let us stay. I have great prices. I know a lot of students don’t have money, so I haven’t raised my soda prices in almost twenty years. Some of my other prices haven’t been raised in five or more years.”
William was furious with the city and said, “Two weeks before the new year, they made us move, now they said they’re going to fix everything, but it’s not broken. So what needs to be fixed?” His solution is simple: “Leave us alone. I pay my taxes and insurances here in Jersey City and have been for many, many years.”
After being forced to move in 2009 and again now, William said, “I’ve gotten tired of this crap, after all these years.”
“We would like to thank the campus community,” said William, “I have two sons, 14 and 16 years old, that I have to support.”
Additional reporting by Gothic Times staff.