The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Kathy Hochul

Governor Hochul Urges: SHOP SMALL to Help Small Businesses Which Make Up 98% of New York State’s Economy

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Editor’s Note: Governor Kathy Hochul along with Key NYS Public Officials are urging consumers to shop local to keep tax dollars in New York. So consider Small Business Saturday on November 26 for your seasonal shopping. The Governor’s release, issued yesterday:

Governor Kathy Hochul today alongside Empire State Development, and the Departments of Labor, Taxation and Finance, and Agriculture and Markets encouraged all New Yorkers to support their local small businesses on “Small Business Saturday” November 26, 2022. Small businesses make up 98 percent of New York State’s economy and generate millions of jobs throughout the Empire State, and by choosing to shop locally Saturday, and every day, New Yorkers are investing in their neighborhoods, strengthening their communities, and keeping tax dollars within New York State.

“Small Business Saturday is an opportunity for all New Yorkers to play a role in strengthening our economy, creating vibrant neighborhoods, and keeping communities connected,” Governor Hochul said. “New York’s small businesses are the core of our economy, and because this community was among the hardest hit at the height of the pandemic, my administration has been squarely focused on its recovery. I encourage New Yorkers to take advantage of all that these businesses have to offer and shop locally this Saturday.”

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Every time you visit your favorite restaurant or gift shop and buy something new, you are supporting a local small business. Small businesses are the fabric of our communities and when they thrive, we all thrive. ESD has continued to offer support to our small and micro businesses through many programs during the pandemic and beyond but we cannot do it alone–the support of everyday customers is integral, and we encourage New Yorkers to shop your local small businesses this Saturday, and every day.”

New York State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “Small businesses are the cornerstones of communities. By shopping at these businesses, we are supporting families, jobs, and New York State’s diverse economy. I encourage New Yorkers to shop small and shop often this Small Business Saturday and throughout the entire holiday season.”

Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Amanda Hiller said, “Small businesses were hit hard during the pandemic and are only now beginning to recover. To aid that process, the state has a full array of business tax credits and incentives. I urge small business owners to explore these credits and incentives on our website. I also encourage New Yorkers to shop small this weekend and throughout the year.”

State Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “New York is home to more than 33,000 family farms that produce world-class food and beverages products. Our hardworking farmers take great pride in feeding their neighbors and fellow New Yorkers, and are truly vital to our state. This holiday season, I encourage you to give thanks for the delicious meals and thoughtful gifts you share with family and shop local to support your community’s producers.”

Small Business Saturday celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners and invites shoppers to visit local stores at the beginning of the busy holiday shopping season. The small business sector is a major contributor to the foundation of New York’s economy, employing more than 40 percent of New York’s private sector workforce. Today, New York State has more than 549,000 small business firms, employing more than three million people.

New York State’s Support for Small Business

Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State is providing more than $1 billion worth of assistance through an array of programs and initiatives designed to support small business growth and help entrepreneurs maximize their opportunities for success.

Recently Governor Hochul announced New York State has been awarded $501.5 million in federal funding through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a program through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Managed by the U.S. Department of Treasury, SSBCI provides funds to support programs for small businesses, with a focus on recovery from the economic effects of COVID-19 and allowing socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDI) -Owned Businesses the opportunity to succeed in the post-pandemic economy. New York’s $501.5 million in SSBCI funding includes a main allocation of $377.1 million, as well as $124.4 million for socially and economically advantaged (SEDI) businesses. Learn about New York State’s suite of SSBCI programs here. Other programs to help small business include:

  • The $200M New York State Seed Funding Grant Program launched in September. This program is designed to provide assistance to early-stage small businesses in a recovering New York State economy. This program is open to businesses that are currently operational with annual revenues between $5,000 and $1,000,000 that began operation on or after September 1, 2018, visit nyseedgrant.com for more information on further eligibility requirements and how to apply.
  • The $250 million COVID-19 Capital Costs Tax Credit Program provides financial assistance to New York State small businesses burdened with a range of operational costs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, from structural changes and building upgrades to health-related supplies and materials. The Program offers qualifying businesses relief from the added economic burden by providing tax credits to help reduce the pandemic-related financial impact. Small businesses can receive a tax credit of 50 percent of qualifying expenses up to a maximum of $25,000 in tax credits based on qualifying expenses of $50,000.

 

New York State also supports a network of Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers (EAC) in communities throughout the state that provide instruction, training, technical assistance, and support services to individuals who are interested in starting or recently started their own business, or entrepreneurs seeking to expand or strengthen their early-stage business. To find an EAC near you, visit https://esd.ny.gov/entrepreneurship-assistance-centers.

The New York State Department of Labor offers a multitude of no-cost services for businesses of all sizes, including more than 220,000 job postings on the NYSDOL website, access to tens of thousands of qualified candidates in our talent pool, career fairs and customized recruitments, and Human Resources consultation services. Thousands of businesses each year work with NYSDOL to list their jobs, find the right candidates, access hiring and training incentives, obtain business tax credits and incentives, get help with one-on-one labor law and safety and health compliance services, and find layoff aversion resources. For more information, visit: https://www.labor.ny.gov/business. The Department will also launch a new PSAon social media, promoting New York State’s small businesses and encouraging New Yorkers to shop small this holiday season.

New York State offers dozens of tax credits and incentives to help small business owners and entrepreneurs make a beneficial impact in their local communities. Small businesses can access a variety of resources and programs anytime at the Tax Department’s dedicated Business incentives webpage, a one-stop shop for details about tax credits and incentives for a variety of enterprises in various industries–from farming and agriculture to research and development to manufacturing.

Businesses may also qualify for job credits and incentives for hiring and training local workers, or for tax credits and exemptions intended to encourage property improvements. The Tax Department’s website, www.tax.ny.gov, has information about available credits and incentives, as well as details about new income tax relief for many small businesses. The Online Services for businesses webpage provides efficient ways to make payments, view filing information, or otherwise interact with the Tax Department.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets supports New York’s agricultural industry, which boasts over 33,000 farms, 700 farmers’ markets and farm stands, and thousands of small agribusinesses. The Department also administers the NYS Grown & Certified program, which markets local growers and producers participating in safe food handling and environmental sustainability programs, helping them better compete in the marketplace. Additionally, the Taste NY program showcases New York food and beverage businesses at large public events and at Taste NY stores, the State’s Welcome Centers, displays, and concessions at more than 70 locations across New York. This year, ShopTasteNY.com, Taste NY’s online marketplace, will be offering several holiday weekend deals, including offering 40% off sitewide on Black Friday, Buy-One-Get-One 50% off on Small Business Saturday and Sunday, and providing a $25 e-gift card when you purchase $50 or more on Cyber Monday. New Yorkers can also shop for the holidays at the Taste NY Welcome Centers, which will be showcasing local producers with gift baskets containing local foods, handmade items, and other unique products. Find more information at ShopTasteNY.com. The Department assists small agribusinesses and farmers with critical services that enhance their business and increase productivity, profitability, and competitiveness.

 

Joe Biden’s Message to Voters… through the Eyes of a Sarah Lawrence College Alum

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President Joe Biden and Governor Kathy Hochul, together at Sarah Lawrence College. Photos by Suki van Dijk

On Sunday, November 6, 2022, two of my great passions in life came together spectacularly with President Joe Biden’s appearance at Governor Kathy Hochul’s campaign event at my alma mater, Sarah Lawrence College. Since 2016 I have devoted much of time and energy to electing Democrats in New York and across our nation. Since graduating from Sarah Lawrence, I’ve been an active alumna, and an all-around booster, trying to make sure as many people as possible learn about the college and get to experience the kind of extraordinary education I had.

My husband Peter (another Sarah Lawrence alum and member of the Board of Trustees) and I, waited about two and half hours to get into the event – in a line that snaked from the airport style scanner by the Performing Arts Center, all the way down Kimball Ave and around the corner onto Palmer. The event started at 4PM and finished at around 7PM with a rousing speech by President Biden.

Welcoming remarks by Sarah Lawrence President Cristle Collins Judd were followed by speeches by nearly every person who represents Yonkers NY. The speakers included Mayor Mike Spano, County Executive George Latimer, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, both of New York’s U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Representative Jamaal Bowman, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Attorney General Tish James, Governor Kathy Hochul, and finally the highlight of the night, the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden. In the middle of the elected officials, labor was well represented by the President of the AFT, Randi Weingarten, who gave a barnburner.

The speakers all highlighted the Democrats’ message: “Democrats deliver.”  All spoke to the economic and social benefits of electing people who hold the Democratic values that help everyone to rise. As fitting on a college campus, they all spoke most directly to the young people in the audience. In speech after speech, they recognized the passions and efforts of these young people. Joe Biden’s rousing speech was well crafted and well delivered, as one would expect from the President. But in addition to that, his speech highlighted his humanity. Just at the time the speech was building up to a big crescendo, someone near the podium seemed to faint. President Biden stopped speaking, directed medical personnel to come help the person, and then, only after he saw they were taken care of, restarted his big finish with a call for everyone to get out to vote.

There were a good number of my fellow Indivisible activists in the over 1,000-person crowd. I saw many of Westchester’s Democratic party leaders. I saw activists from our labor, LGBTQ, environmental, and human rights groups. I was also really fortunate to get a little glimpse into the world of bunch of current Sarah Lawrence undergrads, as we stood together on North Westlands Lawn–the spot where I graduated, the spot where they would graduate. Together, we cheered the same lines, chanted the same responses, sang and danced to music between speeches, and most of all, together we made the same commitment to GET OUT THE VOTE.

This was the first time I have ever seen a US President. I can’t lie, it was pretty exciting! Still. the best part of the event for me, was the energy and commitment coming from the Sarah Lawrence College students and other young people in the crowd. Our young people are genuinely motived to make our planet a more livable place and to make our society a more equitable one, and they were thrilled to hear that their efforts were seen, and their concerns were heard, all the way up to the very top of the US government.

President Biden stuck around for a good amount of time after the event was over, talking and listening to the students, and taking pictures with them. We are all going to remember this unseasonably warm November evening for the rest of our lives.

If you haven’t yet voted early, the polls are open tomorrow, November 8th from 6 am. To 9 p.m.. Your vote is your voice. Use it!

Our author in her I Love SLC socks.