Join Small Business Owners to Fight Budget Proposals that Threaten Your Business

Mark your calendar to join hundreds of small business owners in Albany on March 10th for Small Business Day, a day entirely devoted to the small business community in New York. This year's agenda will focus on fighting Governor David Paterson's Executive Budget proposal containing more than $5 billion in new and increased taxes and fees. Some of the proposals we need your help to fight are:

· Expansion of the bottle bill to include non-carbonated drinks, water and other containers (does not include wine or liquor bottles) and state confiscation of unclaimed deposits

· Increase tax on flavored malt beverage from 11 cents per gallon (current rate for beer) to $2.54 per gallon (current rate for liquor 24% alcohol or less)

· Increase tax on beer from 11 cents per gallon to 24 cents per gallon and for wine from 18.93 cents per gallon to 51 cents per gallon

· Imposes a new 18% sales tax on non-diet soda – referred to as an “obesity tax”– an administrative nightmare on top of the staggering cost to your customers

· Imposes sales tax on amusement charges (jukeboxes, pinball games, etc.)

· Expansion of the Tax Department's compliance tools, including requiring banks to report to the state all bank account activity for all sales tax vendors

Without your voices these proposals could become law - but it will be difficult for your representatives to pass these onerous new and increased taxes and fees after looking you in the eye and hearing your concerns. Watch your mail for further details on Small Business Day.