The Peru Gazette

Local award will also help retrofit existing school cafeterias

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Recent budget legislation uses evidence-based instruction aimed at improving proficiency

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Drug Disposal Kiosks are Available at All NY, MA and VT Pharmacy Locations

(Schenectady, N.Y.) – Ahead of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on April 27, 2024, Price Chopper/Market 32 is issuing a reminder that each of its New York (47), Massachusetts (8) and Vermont (5) pharmacy locations offer safe and convenient year-round drug disposal services. Guests are able to access a consumer drug take-back kiosk located near the pharmacy and return expired, unused or unwanted medications during pharmacy hours, no questions asked. Since the kiosks were installed in 2023, Price Chopper/Market 32 has taken back 2,906 pounds of medication.

“Prescription and over-the-counter medications hold the power to heal but can also cause great harm if they aren’t used as prescribed or intended, are past their expiration date, or fall into the hands of someone they aren’t intended for,” said Price Chopper/Market 32 President Blaine Bringhurst. “Expanding access to safe disposal programs is one of many ways Price Chopper/Market 32 proudly takes an active role in encouraging healthy outcomes for our communities.”

Each kiosk is equipped with a secure latch, allowing guests to open and easily insert medications while also preventing the removal of items already placed inside. Unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medication, as well as pet medication, are accepted. All medications must be returned in the original dispensed packaging or in a sealed bag. Schedule I controlled substances, illegal drugs, thermometers, medical devices and needles are not accepted.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Medication Safety Program, each year 1 in every 250 Americans goes to a hospital emergency department because of an adverse drug event. To find a pharmacy location nearest you, visit the Price Chopper/Market 32 pharmacy homepage or call 1 (800) 666-7667.

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Supervisor Brandy McDonald said the road was to be closed at 2:30 p.m. until urther notice. 

See the previous Peru Gazette story for more details

Progress continues toward the entirely new U.S. border crossing at Rouses Point and the modernization and expansion of the U.S. crossing at Trout River. The North Country Chamber helped to secure the funding for both projects in the federal Infrastructure Bill two years ago and we have actively taken part in the review process for the designs by the General Services Administration since then.

Rouses Point will feature a completely new port of entry closer to the border and including a new facility for the clearance of Amtrak passengers arriving in the U.S. from Montreal. Construction contract solicitation is now open, with construction due to begin this October.

Project design for Trout River is due for completion by late summer/early fall, with a construction start in early spring of 2025. Both projects will have a construction duration of approximately two years from their starts.

We view both projects as next steps for our longtime commitment to “Ports of Excellence” at all of the North Country’s northern border crossings which began with $170 million in facilities at Champlain twenty years ago.

Plattsburgh YMCA receives $125,000 toward new facility

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All performances are free and open to the public

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“…New Yorkers will get 20 hours of paid time off from work for healthcare appointments during pregnancy.”

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Speaker Carl Heastie today announced that the Enacted State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024-25 Budget includes a $3,000 tax credit to help small businesses invest in retail theft prevention measures.

“Small businesses are at the very core of our communities, and the Assembly Majority is committed to getting them the tools and resources they need,” Speaker Heastie said. “This tax credit will help them invest in theft prevention measures and keep their businesses and their employees safe.”

The enacted budget implements a $3,000 tax credit for small businesses investing in retail theft prevention. Businesses with 25 or fewer employees would qualify for the credit if their retail theft prevention expenses exceed $4,000 and businesses with between 26 and 50 employees would qualify if their expenses exceed $6,000.

As The Service Industry Continues to Recover, To-Go Drinks Are Extended and Outdoor Dining Is Made Permanent

Additional ABC Commission Recommendations Are Put In Place, Bringing More Opportunities for Small Businesses

With the enactment of the FY2025 Budget, the State Liquor Authority is highlighting significant changes to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law. These measures will continue Governor Hochul’s goal of modernizing the state’s often-antiquated ABC laws by injecting common sense and collaboration into New York’s alcohol industry.

“This 24-25 budget process is a successful one for our agency,” said State Liquor Authority Chair Lily Fan. “It has been our long-standing intention to seek changes to our statute that would allow us to better support our applicants and licensees. We wholeheartedly thank the Governor, her team, and our partners in both Houses for approving and delivering this package of improvements that will help members of our industry operate better. We look forward to continuing to support the modernization effort in the future while ensuring public safety, health, and welfare.”

Several proposals included in this year’s budget are recommendations from a report issued in May 2023 by the Commission to Study Reform of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law. Other items in the FY25 Enacted Budget address outdated statutes while enhancing the customer experience with more options to support a key cog in the State’s economy.

In the FY2023 Budget, Governor Hochul tasked the temporary Commission to Study Reform of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, 21 members comprised of state agency heads and a diverse set of industry stakeholders, with voting to recommend changes to modernize and simplify the state’s 90-year-old ABC Law. Their efforts resulted in 18 recommendations to be considered for future legislative changes by the New York State Legislature.

Governor Hochul signed two of those recommendations into law in October of 2023, while three more are included in this year’s Enacted Budget:

• Alcohol To-Go – A 5-year extension will allow for the current “drinks to go” provision to continue through 2030, with those 5 years commencing from 2025.

• Community Notification – Allows applicants to simultaneously apply for a license and notify their municipality, and provides the SLA will not act on the application for 30 days in order to allow time for municipal input in the licensing process.

• One-Day Event Permits – Expands one-day special event permits to allow for the service of liquor. These one-day permits were previously restricted to beer and wine. This change creates parity for New York craft beverage manufacturers, in addition to providing catering businesses more opportunities by expanding their offerings.

• Temporary Wholesaler Permits – Creates a new permit to allow for wholesale applicants to obtain a temporary permit while their license is pending, allowing these businesses to begin operations more expeditiously.

Other business and guest-friendly measures include:

• Expanding Catering permits – The budget removes the requirement mandating catering permits be issued only for indoor functions or events, expanding opportunities for the hospitality industry and their customers.

• Wine/Liquor Stores at Street Level – The budget eliminates a Prohibition era law that required liquor stores to be located at street level in order to qualify for a license.

• Temporary Retail Permits – Extends the issuance of temporary retail permits to get businesses open and operating quickly.

• Allowing Liquor Beverage Sales in Movie Theaters – The Budget allows for the service of spirits, in addition to beer and wine, at movie theaters that do not meet the definition restaurants, which required a full kitchen with meals served to guests seated at tables.  Previously, movie theaters not operating as restaurants were limited to beer and wine only.

• Makes Outdoor Dining Permanent – The budget makes permanent the service of alcohol on contiguous and non-contiguous municipal space, with the authorization of the municipality and the SLA, in addition to addressing service across bike lanes, thereby eliminating statutory ambiguity. This highly successful pandemic-era policy provision was set to expire on July 5, 2025.

Speaker Carl Heastie and Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Deborah J. Glick today announced that the Enacted State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024-25 Budget invests $2.5 billion in funding for the environment, including $400 million for the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

“Safeguarding the environmental health and natural resources of our state remains a vital priority for the Assembly Majority,” said Speaker Heastie. “The investments in this budget will continue to support the vital initiatives and programs that protect our ecosystems, mitigate pollution and keep our water safe to drink.”

“Protecting the environment is not only a matter of public health and safety but also about economic vitality,” said Assemblymember Glick. “This budget reflects a continued commitment to reducing air and water contamination, promoting ecological sustainability and preparing responsibly for the challenges of climate change.”

The budget also allocates $500 million to support New York’s clean water infrastructure under the Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA).

In 2015, the Assembly Majority spearheaded the effort to pass the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA) to provide municipalities assistance in funding water quality infrastructure projects through a series of grant programs with $2.4 billion awarded over the last nine years. In 2017, the Assembly expanded its efforts through the CWIA and has since provided $5.5 billion for clean water projects across the state including the $500 million allocated in the Enacted SFY 2024-25 Budget. These proposals were originally championed by Assemblymembers Steve Otis and John McDonald, both former mayors, and advocates for addressing municipal infrastructure costs.

“In this budget, we continue New York’s nation-leading commitment to funding local clean water projects,” said Assemblymember Otis. “Our array of grant programs ensures that we can continue progress on important water quality projects without overburdening local budgets and property taxpayers. The Assembly has been at the forefront in supporting these programs.

“As a former mayor, I understand the impact this funding has on overextended local governments,” said Assemblymember McDonald. “This money provides local municipalities the opportunity to rebuild their water infrastructure and provide clean drinking water for generations of residents.”

Funding for The Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) provides the following:

• $47 million for Public Access & Stewardship, including $10 million for Adirondack and Catskill visitor safety and wilderness protection;
• $39.5 million for land acquisition;
• $26 million for municipal parks;
• $22.5 million for the Oceans and Great Lakes Initiative;
• $22.25 million for the Water Quality Improvement Program;
• $21 million for farmland protection;
• $20 million for Zoos, Botanical Gardens, and Aquaria (ZBGA);
• $19 million for municipal recycling;
• $18.5 million to combat invasive species;
• $17.25 million for Soil & Water Conservation Districts;
• $15.25 million for Climate Resilient Farms Program;
• $14.3 million for waterfront revitalization;
• $13 million for environmental justice; and
• $3.5 million for the Finger Lakes Lake Ontario Protection Alliance.

The Enacted Budget also establishes a fund to support air quality improvement projects in communities where the air quality exceeds federal ozone levels. Funds spent will be allocated to disadvantaged communities proportional to the percentage they represent within the overall communities the projects will serve.

Clinton County (-0.4%) Growth driven by New York City, with several upstate regions experiencing a year-over-year decline for the quarter.

Local government sales tax collections totaled $5.6 billion in the first calendar quarter (January-March) of 2024, an increase of 1.6%, or $87.3 million, compared to the same quarter last year, the lowest rate of growth since the first quarter in 2021, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. This growth was largely driven by New York City, with several upstate regions experiencing a year-over-year decline for the quarter.

“Local sales tax collections in the first quarter showed modest year-over-year growth, led by New York City and its resurgent hospitality industry,” DiNapoli said. “The numbers from the city signal a healthy tax base and a return to its pre-pandemic role as a major driver of sales tax growth in the state. Collections outside the city were relatively flat, resulting from a variety of economic influences.”

Tourism Strong Again in New York City

In the first quarter of 2024, New York City saw a 3.2%, or $79.4 million, increase in collections, accounting for nearly all statewide growth. The city’s first quarter collections represented over 45% of total statewide collections for the first time since 2019, after having dipped to 41%, on average, in 2020 and 2021.

New York City’s growth reflects a tourism industry that has nearly fully recovered from the effects of the pandemic, in terms of the number of visitors and the economic activity being generated. In addition, hotel occupancy has improved and both business travel and Broadway attendance are seeing increased activity.

Rest of State Remains Flat

First quarter collections for the counties and cities in the rest of the state, in aggregate, were virtually flat (-0.03%), year over year. This marked the first time that quarterly collections have not grown since the first quarter of 2021, though it was not unusual to see flat growth, or even declines, on a quarterly basis prior to the pandemic.

On a county-by-county basis, Westchester County had the strongest growth at 12.7%, followed by the counties of Sullivan (12.4%) and Allegany (7.3%). Yates County had the steepest decline at -7.1%, followed by Franklin County (-6.8%), as well as the counties of Erie and Delaware, at -6.4% each.

A majority of cities (12 of 18) outside of New York City that impose their own sales tax experienced year-over-year growth in the first quarter. Oswego had the strongest increase at 15.3%, followed by Glens Falls (8.4%) and Saratoga Springs (7.6%). Of the six cities that saw declines, Norwich experienced the steepest drop at -7.3%.

Report

First Quarter 2024 Local Sales Taxes

Data

Regional Table

Related Report

Local Sales Taxes for 2023

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“As of April 1, 2024, the department has 66 sworn officers and is working to bring that number to 87. Many of those 66 officers are in special positions or injured. There are 15 supervisors, 10 detectives, seven airport officers, and three special assignment officers, leaving the total number of officers patrolling at 24.”

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