8/9/2019 Last Store on Main Street

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/last-store-on-main-street 1/2

Last Store on Main Street

Dear Governor Paterson:

We have received your most recent letter regarding medallions. This is hardly a new idea, having been first proposed by Assemblyman Joseph Morelle last year. We rejected the idea then andcontinue to believe it is a bad idea.

To be honest, we are perplexed by this latest “offer.” Clearly, you no longer believe this idea willgenerate $300 million this year for the state budget. You claim you will cap the number of licenses to twice the current amount, or 2,742 new licenses, but in news reports the Division of Budget estimated that 10,000 new licenses would be required to generate the $300 million thisyear.

Logic would dictate that there is no way to hit the $300 million – if there ever was to begin with – now that you are selling 73 percent fewer licenses than DOB said was needed to generate the budgeted revenue. The fact that you are capping the number of outlets for three years alsosuggests that there is little budget relief in this proposal for years to come.

Have you told the State Legislature you have given up on the $300 million? This is the third timeyou have changed numbers and, given the random nature of the first two guesses, we have noclue what you will estimate this time. But clearly it will be well under even the first estimate of $162 million.

So, please, let us know your newest guess. While you’re at it, can you please answer our 

February 10th Freedom of Information Act request for information on how you came up with the$300 million in the first place?

Have you told the public employee and health care unions that you claimed would get this $300million that you have given up on this number? Frankly, we doubt they would be surprised giventhat they knew as well as you that the $300 million was pure fantasy from the start.

Governor, you claim to understand our concerns about your job-killing plan. Yet you come back with a proposal that amounts to sentencing us to death row and setting the date of execution for three years from now. In short, your “offer” is just insulting.

Your medallions will not offer store owners any great financial windfall, and will fall in valueevery day as the clock ticks closer to the expiration date. Most supermarkets will simply bidetheir time till they can get their own license from the state, rather than pay twice. You also fail tounderstand that most store owners don’t have the financial means to open a new store, especiallyin these difficult economic times.

The fact remains that your plan would lead to the closing of more than 1,000 stores, put morethan 4,500 people out of work and lead to an increase in underage drinking and drunk driving.

8/9/2019 Last Store on Main Street

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/last-store-on-main-street 2/2

Whether that happens on day one or three years from now, it’s just a bad idea that the Legislaturewas right to reject.

Governor, we will continue to urge the Legislature to reject this idea, though believe our job mayactually be a little easier now that you have given up on the $300 million for this year’s budget.

Sincerely,Michael Correra, Executive Director, Metropolitan Package Store AssociationStefan Kalogridi, President, New York State Liquor Store Association

 Jeff Saunders, President, Retailers Alliand and coalition founder