Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Member of the Ways and Means Committee, sent a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul urging her to prioritize repayment of the state’s billions of dollars in outstanding federal Unemployment Insurance (UI) loans.  

The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) imposes a 6.0 percent gross federal unemployment tax rate on the first $7,000 paid annually by employers to each employee, resulting in a maximum federal tax of $420 per employee per year. Employers in certain states may credit up to 5.4 percentage points of state unemployment taxes paid against the 6.0 percent tax rate, meaning that the typical FUTA tax is $42 per worker per year.

However, employers in states whose unemployment insurance funds have outstanding federal advances for two or more consecutive years, like New York, could have their FUTA credit reduced by an additional 0.3 percent for each year the outstanding balance is not repaid in full. This means that New York small businesses, through increased employer taxes, will bear the brunt of Governor Hochul’s irresponsibility and inaction in paying back the state’s federal UI loans.

“Governor Hochul’s inaction in paying back New York’s outstanding federal UI loans in a timely manner irresponsibly places that burden on our small businesses and hardworking families,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “At a time of skyrocketing inflation due to President Biden and Governor Hochul’s far-left fiscal policies, Main Street businesses across New York are struggling and are now facing even higher taxes as a result of New York failing to repay its outstanding federal UI loans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, far-left officials in New York forced businesses to shut down, causing disastrous effects on our economy. Now, these same businesses will be forced to help repay the state’s federal UI loans despite the fact that the state had other means to repay the debt. This is reckless management from Governor Hochul and only serves to further hurt New York businesses while they’re already reeling from many other pressures. Today, I sent a letter to Governor Hochul urging New York to prioritize repayment of the outstanding federal UI loans to prevent additional harm to our small, local businesses and workers in New York.”

Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-24), alongside Rep. Dan Kildee (MI-8), introduced H.R. 6007, the Retirement Investment in Small Employers Act (RISE Act) to incentivize micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees to adopt retirement plans, helping more workers save for retirement.

The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 enhanced the retirement plan startup tax credits for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees to create incentives to adopt new plans. SECURE 2.0 allows for 100 percent of retirement plan administrative and startup costs to be covered for new plans, up to $5,000 per year. However, the law did not amend the formula relied upon to determine the amount an employer may claim in retirement plan startup tax credits, leaving the smallest micro-businesses and their employees unable to take full advantage of the credit. The RISE Act rectifies this issue, ensuring that micro-businesses benefit in the same manner as larger businesses.

"Congress must empower and reaffirm our commitment to small businesses across the country by taking steps to grant them a competitive edge in our economy," said Congresswoman Tenney. "I introduced the Retirement Investment in Small Employers Act along with Congressman Kildee today to enable micro-businesses across NY-24 and the nation to offer their employees robust retirement plans and allow their employees to save for the future. I remain committed to advocating for tax policies that work in favor of our small businesses and hardworking families."

“In mid-Michigan, small businesses support thousands of good-paying jobs and fuel our local economy,” said Congressman Kildee. “I am proud to work introduce legislation with Congresswoman Tenney to help more employers set up retirement plans, ensuring more Michigan workers can save for retirement. This bipartisan bill is a win for small business owners and workers alike.”

“All businesses, regardless of size, deserve the same opportunity and access to tax credits to help offset the costs of offering a retirement plan to their employees,” said Michael Majors, Paychex vice president of HR Solutions. “Paychex is proud to endorse Rep. Claudia Tenney’s and Rep. Dan. Kildee’s legislation to expand tax credits for micro-sized businesses which give incentives to offer retirement plans to help their employees save for the future.”  

As she was approaching high school graduation, Reagan Heubusch wanted to at least supplement her part-time job with something else to make a little more money, and a family friend suggested that she try a pet-sitting service.

Almost immediately, her own social media, plus word-of-mouth, earned her three or four clients, and the business grew to the point where the 18-year-old dropped the other job altogether.

A downtown building is in line for $20,000 worth of improvements to its brick exterior and upper back deck if City Council approves the grant request from building owner Cregg Paul.

The money will be in the form of a grant made available through an amended Revolving Loan Fund agreement that was revised in 2019. The revised policy seeks to have private building owners make lasting public and/or facade improvements within the city.

While news of a potentially larger, relocated Burger King created some online responses from supporters of the businesses the fastfood restaurant would replace, one of those sites has been quietly working on its own new establishment.

Beverly’s Floral & Gifts will be moving into the former Roxy’s Music store at 228 West Main St., Batavia, hopefully before the end of summer, owner Russ Fitzgibbon says.

There’s a joke between Rob Credi and his wife Karie about a nickname they’ve dubbed a part of their home. Rob periodically makes dinner, and sometimes it comes out really good, and other times, not so much. So they call the culinary space Crapshoot Kitchen.

It’s a name that stuck for his latest business venture that will rent opportunities for starter businesses and organizations to get going in the culinary field for take-out meals and food items. The Crapshoot Kitchen & Commissary is located at 56 Harvester Ave., in The Harvester Center, on the east side of Batavia.

“You’re standing in the vestibule now,” Credi said during a walk-through of the street-level site Tuesday afternoon. “So when you walk in this way, this is my space. And this is all a commercial commissary kitchen, meaning that I’m building the entire kitchen, putting in the hood and all the equipment, and all that for someone who wants to come in and use it to prepare food in a certified kitchen, for sale to public consumption.”

He plans to rent it out to three or four operators, ideally food businesses that would be using the space on a regular basis. He already has one committed vendor who makes Puerto Rican cuisine, and potentially a baker. Both vendors were referred by Batavia Development Corporation, he said.

The space can be rented by the hour or the month, for organizations wanting to make, say, cookies for a fundraiser, or take-out restaurateurs wanting to establish themselves.

Credi’s space is 1,400 square feet and will include a long counter, kitchen area, 13-foot hood, baking equipment, coolers, storage lockers, prep stations, tables, and a few chairs for patrons waiting for a food pick-up.

Large solid pillars form a visual wall that begins the separation between Credi’s place and what will be Windy Brew, a pub and tasting room owned by Bill and Michelle Snyder. They wanted to wait until their permits were received before talking details about their place, but prior planning board meetings have teased that the place will feature pretzels and pizza, craft brews from the site’s brewery in Strykersville and elsewhere, and music.

Property Manager Jarrod Clark, who is an officer of Harvester Center LLC, will be taking care of the front and back spaces with steel framing and all-glass vestibules, for two entry/exit ways. There has also been talk about converting part of the rear exterior into a beer garden green space and additional parking, Credi said. He hopes to have the site up and running by June. He estimated that combined, the space is about 3,500 square feet.

His commissary venture was largely based on the idea of food truck owners needing a kitchen to prepare, pack and work out of for their mobile businesses, he said. There is a large garage door at the back that trucks can back right up to load and unload equipment and supplies, he said. In addition to the shared space, renters would have access to dry and cold storage, equipment, and educational resources.

“While the primary purpose of the kitchen is to serve as a prep kitchen for most members, there are also very limited spots available for those looking to conduct a more retail-oriented and customer-facing business operation through the use of its streetside retail counter,” Credi said.

No newcomer to the business world, Credi owns Coffee Pub Hub just down the street, to the right of the Crapshoot. Although he has at times complained about issues of city protocol, lack of communication and tight parking, Credi has been amazed and thankful that recent road construction didn’t dampen customer enthusiasm to keep coming back for his specialty coffee drinks, breakfast sandwiches, and new bubble teas.

“The coffee shop is doing fantastic,” he said. “We had one of the best weekends we’ve ever had. It’s building of the brand.”

So perhaps that answers why he is investing in another site on the same street, but The Batavian asked anyway: why, after your previous complaints?

“That is a question that I asked myself many times a day. Honestly, I like this project, I don't want to say it's not for me, because, obviously, you know, I'm behind it, and I am gaining from it, but it's like a community focus thing. Like, it's more for other people than it is for me. I've done the coffee shop so far, which, this is my business, and I'm trying to make money and provide a service to the city,” Credi said. “But this is more to help other people, which I like about it, which is something I've always kind of done behind the scenes if anyone had a question about starting a business. I obviously do care a lot about the city of Batavia. And that's where a lot of my frustrations come from, is seeing things that could be done better that aren’t.

“But at the end of the day, I think with Tammy Hathaway, she's been great as far as an investor for the city. And I think working with her on a project like this has kind of restored my faith in the direction it's going. We don't get all the limelight and excitement as they do in the downtown projects or the low to maybe middle-income housing project on Ellicott. But there's enough to be said for this building. I think this building has a lot of promise,” he said. “Obviously, I'm investing in a second location in this building. I like the direction that it's going with the new ownership and with Jarrod in charge. So I see this as a building that's really going to take off and be a huge part of Batavia’s success in years to come.”

For more information or to inquire about space, email CrapshootKC@Gmail.com.

Top Photo of Batavia business owner Rob Credi showing his latest venture at 56 Harvester Center, and above, out back of the site, where a beer garden and green space may eventually replace some of the back lot, along with more parking space. Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

In an effort to assist current business customers with unexpected financial burdens faced during the current COVID-19 crisis, and on the heels of its recently announced relief for consumer loan customers, Tompkins Financial has implemented a loan assistance program for its eligible commercial clients.

Tompkins’ new Loan Assistance Program provides up to 60 days of deferment for all commercial loans.

“We understand that companies, including our small business customers, are the backbone of the U.S. economy and that they need our support during this critical time more than ever,” said Stephen Romaine, president and CEO. “As a community bank, it is our duty to assist businesses in the best way we can, which includes taking a market-leading position on loan deferment that we hope will inspire others to do the same during this time of unexpected hardship.”

Tompkins announced late Wednesday that it would provide this program as well as loan relief options to retail customers, preceding New York State’s announcement Thursday. Loan customers who are experiencing challenges with loan repayment should contact their banker via phone or email immediately, or reach out to Tompkins’ Customer Care Center at 1-888-300-0110 to review options that may be available to them. 

About Tompkins Financial Corporation

It is a financial services company serving the Central, Western, and Hudson Valley regions of New York and the Southeastern region of Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Ithaca, NY, Tompkins Financial is parent to Tompkins Trust Company, Tompkins Bank of Castile, Tompkins Mahopac Bank, Tompkins VIST Bank, Tompkins Insurance Agencies Inc., and offers wealth management services through Tompkins Financial Advisors. For more information on Tompkins Financial, visit online.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today criticized New York City politicians on the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for blocking a number of bills that would ease the tax burden on veterans and small businesses and increase the amount of funding that smaller municipalities receive.

“It is truly disappointing that some of our downstate colleagues do not share our priorities of making life easier for our nation’s heroes, our veterans, and starting to change the narrative of New York state as the tax capital of the country,” Hawley said.

“These are common-sense bills, many of which have bipartisan support, which New York City politicians will not even allow to reach the floor for a debate and discussion. In the waning days of session, I will continue to fight for our veterans, homeowners, small-businesses and seniors against misguided priorities coming from Assembly leadership.”

A complete list of bills that were blocked is as follows:

A.6558: Extends the period during which the county of Genesee is authorized to impose a county recording tax on certain mortgage obligations until November 1, 2019.

A.8040: Relates to enhanced aid and incentives for municipalities.

A.1740: Relates to exempting cranes from the petroleum business tax.

A.1783: Provides a tax credit in the amount of certain fees charged in connection with loans under the federal home loan guarantee program to National Guard and reserve veterans.

A.1559: Creates a tax exemption for leasing of certain aircraft used for flight schools.

A.1682: Relates to creating a local food and products sourcing tax credit.

A.1693-a: Creates a wage tax credit for employers who employ New York National Guard men and women, reservists, volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel.

A.1561: Prohibits the transfer of unexpended moneys from funds receiving moneys from a dedicated fee into any other fund.

A.1565: Exempts veterans 85 years of age and older from the obligation to pay New York state income tax.

A.1616: Exempts compensation for active military service from inclusion in a resident's adjusted gross income under certain circumstances.

A.1617: Prohibits the New York state Department of Taxation and Finance from charging a fee for applications for a certificate of registration pursuant to a reregistration program.

A.1645: Relates to compensation of certain district attorneys; requires the state to reimburse the counties for the entire cost of any increase in the annual salary of a district attorney due to an increase in the annual salary of a justice of the Supreme Court or a county judge; appropriates $1,600,000 therefor.

Michael Bow has had a pretty good year professionally -- and, knock on wood, it will keep getting better.

Bow, 27, runs "Bow Original Woodworking" out of his home in East Bethany. He builds furniture, cabinets, and other things per client request. Clients come to him from throughout Genesee County and as far away as Massachusetts.

Here are some samples of his work:

Originally from Attica, Bow has lived in East Bethany for two years. He started his own business in October 2012, around the time his mother became ill.

"I had worked in a couple different shops," Bow said, "Then I received a lot of requests for work, and my mom got sick. It seemed like the right time to go off on my own so that I could spend more time with her without affecting anybody else."

He learned woodworking on the job as an employee of Eurostyle Woodworking in Colorado. He credits the owners, Doug Stahl and Marco Dehm, with helping him to develop the skill level he enjoys now. They were not only his employers, but also his mentors.

"They're geniuses," Bow said. "They could touch a board and make a piano."

At one point, he got to travel with Dehm to the latter's native Switzerland and get a firsthand look at his training ground.

"When I saw how the Swiss learned," Bow said, "and what 16-year-old first-year woodworking students were doing, I was humbled by how advanced they were. I know guys here (in the United States) that have done woodworking for 30 years, and there's no way they could do what the kids are doing over there."

The following interview was conducted at Bow's home:

How would you describe woodworking for the layman? How is it different from carpentry?

Woodworking is a very in-depth trade. I think that's what I love about it. You have so many different ways to do so many different things. And then you've got so many styles. There's a European style, a Japanese style -- the Japanese are phenomenal craftsmen. There's so many different ways, for example, to build a cabinet, to set a door, and to join everything. Even after 30 or 40 years you still won't know anywhere near everything about woodworking.

There are different aspects of woodworking, but it generally involves more of a finished product. To me, when someone says "I'm a carpenter," I think they're more of a framer, more of a rough builder. And that's definitely respectable. These are just two different disciplines.

Is there a typical request you get from clients in terms of what they want?

Something cheap. (laughs) My slogan is "Design & Function." People usually want something for a specific purpose. Like if it's for an entertainment center, they'll want something that can hold a flat-screen TV, space for books or a DVD player, etc. So obviously it's designed around a specific need -- that's the function in "Design & Function." You can't have one without the other. If you've got the function and there's no design to it, what good is the function? And if you've got a good design and there's no functionality to it, then what good is the design?

How do you decide what kind of wood to use for your products?

Generally, it depends on what people want. If they want a painted product, usually I'll use either soft maple or poplar. If someone is looking for a certain kind of grain, I'll offer one type of wood. If someone is on a budget, I'll offer another; cherry generally stains very well -- and it's fairly cheap. It's pretty much about what the customer is looking for. Usually when I first meet with somebody on a job I'll tell them to get on the Internet, or get a magazine, and show me what they want.

Where do you get the wood for your projects?

It depends on what work I'm getting. Usually I don't need a big quantity of wood. I go through Attica Mill most of the time. I get some specialty hardwood from someone in South Warsaw, too. And then sometimes some of the customers will have wood that has been dried, cut or milled up, and I'll take it.

How did you get started in woodworking?

(When I was a kid) my uncle, Keith Bow, was always doing something with wood. He's a genius. I always would see his work and think, "Wow!" And I admired that "wow" factor.

My dad is kind of a hobbyist; he's a good craftsman. And my brother is a woodworker down in Florida. It's just in our blood, I guess.

I think the biggest thing (I enjoy) is that "wow" factor -- especially having my dad look at something I made and say, "Wow, that's cool."

In my late high school years, when I started realizing what I wanted to do, I went that route (toward woodworking). I was fairly confident with my skills and ability and knowledge, because I have the drive.

What are some of your hopes going forward?

My hopes are to always progress, always become more efficient...basically to strive for perfection. I want to become better at what I do. I want to be able to do more unique projects and constantly do something that is "one-and-only."

I don't expect to make a million dollars a year, but I would like to get to a point where I make enough money to live well and, here and there, take a few days off to do something outside of work.

Right now I'm busy, but not swamped. It's hit and miss (from week to week). Sometimes I might be working 60 hours a week. But I love what I do -- it's an addiction.

For more information, contact bow at 409-8127 or e-mail mjbow85@gmail.com.

Sample photos courtesy of Michael Bow.