Assemblyman Stirpe: Small Businesses Need Our Support Today

Run by our friends and neighbors, small businesses are the backbone of Central New York’s economy and many are still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s more important than ever to support these stores, from longstanding mom and pop shops to the latest startups, especially during Small Business Saturday (Nov. 27). Shopping local this holiday season is an investment in our community.

Roughly a third of small businesses across the country have closed during the pandemic, so patronizing local shops that are still open today is vital.[1] As our recovery continues, supporting local businesses is crucial to help sustain the hardworking entrepreneurs who employ about half of the private workforce in our state.[2] According to a recent survey, 37% of small businesses believe more than six months are needed to reach a normal level of operations.[3] An increase in customers during this year’s holiday season would undoubtedly be a gift for local businesses.

As a former small business owner myself, I know firsthand the hard work, dedication and sacrifice it takes to keep your enterprise afloat, even under ideal circumstances. That’s why helping local businesses recover has been a top priority for me. As chair of the Assembly Small Business Committee, I sponsored and helped pass a new law to create an easily accessible list of programs and resources available to small businesses on the Empire State Development (ESD) website (Ch. 17 of 2021). Several programs are available to help Central New York businesses that took a hit from COVID-19, which is why small-business owners should be able to easily access information about these opportunities. I’ll continue connecting local businesses with these programs to further fuel our economic recovery here at home and across the state.

Even in the best times, staying on top of legal and regulatory changes can be difficult for local businesses. I introduced and helped pass legislation that would require the Department of State to compile and publish an easily understandable list of these changes to business law for small-business owners to reference. I also sponsored and helped pass measures that extend the advisory panel on employee-owned enterprises for two years (Ch. 163 of 2021) and require the Department of State to provide new small businesses with information about helpful resources that are available to them (A.6508-A).

This year, I hope you’ll consider what local stores have to offer when purchasing gifts for friends and family. We’ve already made great strides in our recovery as a state and nation, but none of this would be possible without the small businesses fueling our economy. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at 315-452-1115 or email me at StirpeA@nyassembly.gov.

[1] statesman.com/story/news/politics/politifact/2021/06/08/kamala-harris-small-business-closures-covid-fact-check/7602531002/

[2] nysbdc.org/resources/smallbizstats.html

[3] portal.census.gov/pulse/data/