WATERTOWN, NY — Assemblyman Mark Walczyk released the following statement on Wednesday, March 25, 2020:
Assemblyman Mark Walczyk (R,C,I-Watertown) is calling on Governor Cuomo to waive the state’s excise tax on small businesses that stepped up to offer their services to the people of the state during this extraordinary public health crisis.
In particular, Walczyk is looking for relief for a number of farm distilleries in the Front Yard of America that have changed their businesses from manufacturing spirits to hand sanitizer and other cleaning products. Until the tax is waived, these businesses will continue to be charged a $6.20 (or more) excise tax for every gallon of alcohol that leaves their facility — nearly half the total production cost of the product.
“We’ve all heard the old saying, ‘no good deed goes unpunished,’ or in this case taxed. If a business has done a 180 to help the people of New York, the state should be doing everything in their power to further enable that business to maximize their ability to produce the goods people need,” said Assemblyman Walczyk. “The state shouldn’t be asking businesses that are stepping up to the plate too help their neighbor, to pay a tax for doing a good thing. It’s wrong. I implore the Governor to suspend the excise tax on alcohol produced for sanitizing products during this health crisis.”
Because the excise tax is nearly half the total cost of production and the Assemblyman believes we should be looking for ways to save money for businesses as well as consumers, Walczyk has contacted the governor’s office over the past several days in hopes he will use his executive powers to waive the fees. He hopes this change will continue to extend the distilleries production capacity during the foreseeable future as the state continues to combat the coronavirus pandemic.