Angelo Morinello (R,C,I,Ref-Niagara Falls) and members of the Assembly Minority Conference today announced their “Jump-Start New York” plan to help reboot the economy. The initiative calls for short-term relief measures as well as a path to long-term stability for the state’s 600,000 small businesses and 4.2 million employees. “Jump-Start New York” directs both state and federal money to those hit hardest by the impact of the pandemic.
“The health and safety of our communities remains paramount,” said Morinello. “While the brave medical professionals put their lives on the line daily to ensure this, we must develop strategies to combat the fiscal gloom facing our state, especially our small businesses. The Jump-Start New York initiative will increase financial security and help efforts in the recovery of businesses across the state.”
The “Jump-Start New York” plan is a combination of state and federal measures that could be immediately enacted to provide relief to small businesses across the state.
Among some of the state-level provisions called for in the proposal are:
- Immediately reevaluate and add to non-essential businesses that could remain open while maintaining proper social distancing practices.
- Certain state regulations made during this State of Emergency should be extended or waived for an additional year to help bridge an economic rebound, including allowing the use of telehealth, allowing AV technology for notary services, allowing individuals and businesses to extend their licenses and waiving earnings limitations for retired public retirees returning to work, among others.
- Suspend fees for occupational licenses for one year following the end of the emergency period.
- Provide businesses and not-for-profits with recovery loans under Empire State Development to assist the 54 percent of our state’s workforce employed by our 608,351 small businesses.
- Instead of generalized funding, repurpose Regional Economic Development Councils for Disaster Recovery. Additionally, any unallocated settlement money should be used here as well.
- Repurpose and utilize capital programs to jump-start the economy, including programs like State and Municipal Facilities, NYS Special Infrastructure, REDCs, NY Works Economic Development Fund and START-UP NY benefits.
- Use any unallocated credits under the Film Tax Credit for business relief for non-essential businesses and sole proprietors who do not have access to unemployment benefits.
- Enact the “Small Business Emergency Recovery Act of 2020” (A.10266).
- Increase rural internet accessibility to ensure equality in access to telehealth, remote learning and work-from-home capabilities.
- Delay Farm Worker Fair Labor Practices Act implementation for one year after the emergency period expires.
- Increase the CHIPS competitive bid threshold from $350,000 to $750,000 and increase competitive bid thresholds for municipalities and school districts for one year.
- Enact Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise reforms to require contractors to hire MWBEs at a rate that correlates with the percentage in their economic development region.
- Align all state tax filing dates with federal tax filing dates.
A full copy of the proposal is available here: https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Angelo-J-Morinello/story/91969
