Assemblyman Phil Ramos (D-Central Islip) announced that the Assembly passed two bills which he sponsored as part of a package of Small Business bills. The legislation sponsored by Ramos would provide more opportunities to minority and women-owned businesses and create a “kitchen incubator” grant program, which would provide funding for entrepreneurs interested in starting a kitchen or farm-based food processing business.

“Small businesses play a crucial role in our local economy and they employ the vast majority of people,” Ramos said. “During these tough economic times, it’s important that we give entrepreneurs and small businesses the resources they need to stay competitive.”

Ramos’ legislation would help minority and women-owned businesses by making them more competitive with other businesses enterprises (A.4498) and would help small food processing businesses get off the ground by establishing a system which will offer affordable processing space, financing, management assistance and other services that can nurture an emerging kitchen-based food processing businesses (A.3608A).

The Ramos bills were passed as part of a larger package of small business legislation. Also included in the Assembly Small Business package is legislation which:

• creates the micro business outreach center and program to provide small businesses access to economic development funds and advice (A.2766);
• establishes a competitive grant program for small businesses to seek new markets and niche products and work with small manufacturers to identify and develop these markets and products (A.2877-A);
• offers to small businesses a plan for deferred payment of charges stemming from the installation or initiation of service of a telephone line(A.4678);and
• provides zero or low-interest loans for energy efficiency projects, further allowing small businesses to grow and create new jobs (A.5494).

“Small businesses are the backbone of our community,” Ramos said. “We need to make it easier for them to do business and this legislation will help small businesses access capital and receive assistance they need that will allow them to retain and create jobs.”