During this morning’s joint legislative budget hearing on economic development, Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) made the case for using existing Empire State Development funding to help small businesses hit hard by the pandemic.

Ra believes that harnessing digital strategies and investing in traditional advertising campaigns will help small businesses attract new customers and remind their neighbors that they’re still in business.

“Months ago, I sponsored legislation that would ensure state-funded advertising dollars are used to promote small businesses. While so many big box stores were allowed to operate during the spring, many mom-and-pop retailers and restaurants were forced to close their doors.It’s never been more important for them to attract new customers. We owe them. Let’s help them promote their products and services so they can continue doing what they love and continue to employ our neighbors,” said Ra.

Ra’s bill would also direct Empire State Development to share business development tools and best practices with local chambers of commerce and other local economic development agencies.

When questioned, Empire State Development President and CEO Eric Gertler sidestepped a commitment to Ra’s legislation while affirming the administration’s funding of similar but unrelated programming, including Market NY, an initiative aimed at promoting local tourism.

“Economic development shouldn’t just be about helping big, politically connected firms. We allocate hundreds of millions of dollars every year to economic development. Especially this year, it’s imperative that we make a commitment to promoting locally owned, family businesses. Our economic recovery as a region and state will suffer if we don’t help our downtowns thrive once again,” said Ra.