ALBANY – Republicans in the New York State Senate are putting forward a package of business friendly legislation they say will help the state’s beleaguered restaurant and hospitality industries get back on their feet.
According to the state Department of Labor, the two industries have been especially hard hit by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. From December 2019 to December 2020, jobs in the leisure and hospitality industry fell nearly 40 percent from 942,500 to 575,900. During that same time, jobs in the accommodations industry fell 57 percent, from 97,500 to 41,700, and jobs in the restaurant industry fell 32.5 percent, from 584,800 to 394,600. To view more jobs data from the department of labor, click here.
“Unfortunately, our governor does not seem to understand how important these restaurants, hotels, and their employees are to making our economy function,” said Sen. George Borrello, R-Sunset Bay, the legislation’s chief sponsor. “Using his executive authority, the governor has put extremely damaging and burdensome restrictions on the industry without outlining any plan for how government will help reverse the damage it created.”
Senate Republicans announced their “Reset New York’s Restaurant and Hospitality Industry” legislation Tuesday. They said the cornerstone of the package is comprehensive bill to provide relief to business owners and employers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would:
-Exempt small businesses from being penalized with higher unemployment insurance rates due to layoffs resulting from COVID-related, government-mandated closures. The exemption would extend for a period of one year from when they are permitted to return to full capacity; -Prohibit internet-based food delivery services from charging higher fees than they charged on or before March 1, 2020;
-Provide small businesses additional time to pay monthly sales and payroll taxes, as well as, business and property taxes;
-Offer interest-free loans or lines of credit to small businesses;
-Provide a one year extension for renewal of liquor licenses; and
-Provide businesses a 90 day grace period to pay any fees or penalties due to state and local agencies.
Also included in the plan announced by the Senate Republicans are distinct pieces of legislation that would: -Direct State Liquor Authority-inflicted fines into a business relief fund to help small businesses get back on their feet; -Provide for a credit on liquor license renewals for the amount of time bars and restaurants were forced to be shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic; -Create a limited state sales tax exemption for the sale of food and drink at restaurants and taverns from state sales and compensating use taxes and granting municipalities the option to grant such limited exemption; -Provide a tax check off box that will direct funds into a business…
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