BIZ RELIEF

City Council Member Joseph Addabbo (pictured at left) joins forces with business owner Howard Michler in front of a Hess gas station on Cypress Avenue in Ridgewood to alert the public of the need for increased tax incentives for small businesses. During a Friday, Sept. 19 press conference in Ridgewood near the Brooklyn/Queens border, City Council Member Joseph Addabbo claimed that local businesses are not obtaining the financial assistance through the state's Industrial and Commercial Incentive Program that many large corporations are receiving.

Addabbo and business owner Howard Michler stood in front of the 80-07 Cypress Ave. Hess gas station to make the community aware of how many mom-and-pop operations are being shortchanged out of being afforded tax incentives.

Those same incentives, said Addabbo, are routinely given to companies like Amerada Hess Corporation, which reportedly receives approximately $13,761 annually in savings.

The major companies that have received the most number of ICIP exemptions between 1984 and 2004 include Rite Aid of New York, McDonald's Corporation, ExxonMobil Corporation and Amoco Oil Company (now part of BP Petroleum).

"I believe the government should do more for small businesses that employ local people and help the local economy. They are part of our city fabric," said Addabbo. "Small businesses are suffering. They're suffering from a bad economy. They're suffering from outsourcing and the lack of government assistance."

In fact, he pointed out that Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer filled out a recent report indicating that 75 percent of major corporations that receive incentives and program money admitted that they could just as well have survived without them.

He went on to mention how the Center for an Urban Future reveals that Queens is currently leading the outer boroughs in the areas of job growth and overall economic development.

But despite increases of 80 percent in some neighborhoods of Southern Queens, the middle portions of the borough continue to be left behind.

Even though the ICIP benefits in the 15th Senatorial District total almost $7 million, said Addabbo, the district contains three of the lowest performing zip codes: 11385 (Ridgewood), 11379 (Middle Village) and 11421 (Woodhaven).

Monies allocated to big companies in the form of tax incentives, he continued, have yet to translate in to any sort of job growth—only job losses.

Micheler, who owns AY-Host Corporation at 1539 Covert St. in Ridgewood, further expounded on the hard times experienced by his company by explaining how he's been forced to cut his 20-person employee staff to 10.

"We need more now not later,"he lamented. "I would like to see my business grow and prosper, and the community prosper."

"Howard today represents thousands of family-owned businesses, not only throughout this district, but throughout the city," concluded the Council Member.