Editorial
Governor Cuomo, Main Street needs a hand
COVID-19 has completely
changed the way we all live.
But along with worrying
about keeping themselves and
their families healthy, thousands
of small business owners across
New York state are losing sleep
over how to keep this virus from
killing the businesses they have
worked so hard to build.
At the same time, lawmakers in
Albany are trying to craft a budget
in the face of plunging revenues.
Sales taxes — much of them generated
by small business — brought
in a whopping $73.6 billion last
year. Our schools, as well as other
vital government services, rely
on these funds. When a business
fails — and too many are on the
precipice of failure right now —
that sales tax revenue goes, too.
We believe a simple proposal could
help restart local business and bolster
sales tax revenues, but swift action
is required by Governor Andrew
Cuomo and the State Legislature.
Small businesses are the
backbone of our communities.
Everyone wants a thriving downtown
where they can shop, eat or
go to a movie. The good news is
that small businesses have always
been engines of innovation and
entrepreneurship, and we are seeing
that again today as they adapt
to the new reality.
Of course, it’s vital that these
businesses let potential customers
know about their services. That’s the
role of advertising in all its myriad
forms. But advertising costs money,
and the sad truth is that advertising
is one of the fi rst things small businesses
cut when times are tough.
Put yourself in the shoes of a local
restaurateur with a stack of bills and
very little money coming in. By the
time she fi nishes paying the most
urgent bills — rent, food suppliers,
payroll — there’s not much left for
advertising. Whatever stimulus
money she gets from Washington
or Albany will most likely be needed
to keep the door open and the lights
on. Yet studies show that how well
businesses survive a downturn is in
large part determined by whether
they continue to market and advertise
during the hard times.
Fortunately, there is a way for
Albany to prime the sales-tax pump
to keep revenue fl owing to both small
businesses and state coffers. Let
businesses use some of the money
they would have sent to Albany, as
sales taxes, to market their new offerings.
Every dollar a small business spends
on advertising (up to some reasonable
limit) would be a dollar saved off that
business’s sales tax bill.
It would be a win-win-win. Local
because the increased advertising
would jump-start sales. The state
would get more sales tax revenue
because local businesses would be
selling more. And media companies
(like ours) would benefi t from the
additional ad revenue.
We’d like to think that we, too, are
vital to the character and strength of
our communities, not to mention our
democracy. Think for a moment of
the critical role that journalists have
played in getting vital local information
this unprecedented crisis.
We’ve been impressed with
Governor Cuomo’s levelheaded
leadership in this crisis, and we call
on him to back this innovative yet
simple policy.
Editorial provided by the New
York Press Association
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ROBERT POZARYCKI
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The formula would be simple:
businesses would be healthier
out to your community during
Minority Women Business Enterprise
Attention health care
professionals in New York City:
Tell us your coronavirus stories
BY THE VILLAGER STAFF
As the coronavirus epidemic
rages on across
New York City, we
want to hear from the health
care workers on the front lines
battling to save lives.
Our reporters want to speak
about what they’ve witnessed
in emergency rooms, medical
centers, nursing homes and
other facilities where lives
hang in the balance every day.
We want to tell their stories
to show New York City their
courage but also the severity
of the conditions they work in
— and the situation they face.
We welcome submissions at
any time from active New York
City physicians, nurses, lab
technicians and other health
care workers who are helping
to treat patients.
Email Robert Pozarycki,
editor-in-chief, at robb@amny.
com, and a reporter may contact
you soon. Your information
will be held confi dentially;
your name will be used only
with your express permission,
U.S. NAVY PHOTO
BY MC2 SARA ESHLEMAN
200329-N-EV253-1164
ATLANTIC OCEAN (March
29, 2020) – Hospitalman
Apprentice Kaylah Jenkins
dons personal protective
equipment during infection
control training aboard the
hospital ship USNS Comfort.
or withheld upon request.
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Read all about it!
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