Angry with the Bloomberg administration for failing to respond to his requests for information about small business fines, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio has sued the city to force them to respond.

De Blasio is trying to find out which violations and policies are most responsible for driving up revenues from fines on small businesses and also which neighborhoods are being hit the most, he said.

During the past decade, he says, revenues from fines have nearly doubled to $850 million, even as small businesses struggle to keep afloat.

The PA declared: “Fines have been increasing for so long it’s become de facto city policy. We need answers about what this ‘fine first, ask questions later’ enforcement is doing to our small businesses and their ability to survive in this economy.

“This is not an administration that willingly hands over information that contradicts its press releases. It’s time to end the stonewalling and open up the books on small business fines.”

Of city agencies contacted on May 8 by the PA, none have responded. The suit was filed under City Charter provisions which grant the Public Advocate timely access to the records.