“Western New York’s small businesses are not only the backbone of our economy, but the livelihood of countless New Yorkers. While the safety measures put in place to protect public health have been critical in our fight against COVID, they’ve created significant hardships and challenges for these small businesses. Many have been forced to close their doors, either temporarily or permanently, adjust to limited capacities and take on pandemic-related expenses. This is why we’ve introduced an Assembly budget proposal to help small businesses get back on track. 

 “Our proposal makes smart investments to both help our businesses rebuild and address the inequities exposed by measures we’ve had to take to combat the pandemic. This includes a $1 billion Small Business Reopening and Relief Grant Program, which will offer grants to help businesses cover various costs and pandemic-related expenses. We’re also investing $50 million in the COVID-19 Recovery and Workforce Initiative to help some of those hardest-hit during the pandemic, including women, minorities and those who have been receiving unemployment benefits for an extended period. And we created a new program to provide assistance to restaurants in areas where indoor dining was prohibited for 30 days or more due to orange zone restrictions, like much of Erie County.

 “The Assembly budget proposal also includes initiatives that will strengthen our communities once this crisis has passed, including requiring the Public Service Commission to study broadband access across the state. As many New Yorkers have been working and learning from home, the pandemic has exposed just how many are still without reliable high-speed internet access. It’s clear that in order for our state to build back stronger, this budget must put our families and small businesses first. I’ll work to ensure that the needs and concerns of Western New Yorkers are at the forefront of this year’s budget and as we continue to move forward.”