November 30, 2024
Dear Friends,
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and good food!
With Thanksgiving over, the holiday shopping season is in full swing for many of us. As you hunt for gifts for loved ones, I encourage you to take full advantage of our Capital Region’s stellar local businesses by ‘shopping small’ this season.
Our region is home to countless small businesses that deliver vibrancy, jobs, and economic opportunity for our communities. This week, in preparation for Small Business Saturday, I visited a couple of these outstanding businesses to highlight the critical role they play in powering our Capital Region economy.
First, I stopped by Tara Kitchen in Guilderland, one of three Capital Region locations of this beloved local favorite serving top-notch Moroccan comfort food. This March, Tara Kitchen’s chef and owner Aneesa Waheed — who has been featured on Food Network shows like Beat Bobby Flay and Guy’s Grocery Games — was recognized by the SBA as New York State’s 2024 Small Business Person of the Year.
Next, I visited Alchar Printing in Troy, a locally owned union print shop that has been serving the Capital Region’s printing needs since 1968. Owner Denise Padula has worked tirelessly to expand and enhance Alchar’s services since she took over the business in 2006, and those efforts were rewarded this May when the SBA’s Upstate New York District Office named Denise as the 2024 Woman Owned Small Business Owner of the Year.
After both Aneesa and Denise were recognized as outstanding small business owners by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) earlier this year, I was thrilled this week to stop by and honor their deserved national recognitions. And as we celebrate and show our support for these and our other local businesses, I’m working every day in Congress to deliver the federal support our small businesses need to thrive and continue serving our communities.
Last Congress, we followed up on our much-needed COVID rescue bills — which delivered billions in assistance to businesses to keep employees on payroll, open shuttered venues, and more — with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a transformative law that will help implement our 21st century infrastructure, create good jobs, and boost our nation’s competitiveness. Countless businesses depend on strong infrastructure to transport goods and reach more customers. This bill gets it done.
Further, the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act — in addition to creating jobs and bolstering America’s economy — is driving down prices that have hurt consumers and businesses alike. I’ll continue this effort to ensure that our small businesses can thrive and continue their powerful work as the engines of our economy.
This federal support is vital to the health of our small businesses. But it is also critical that we in the community do our part by patronizing these beloved local establishments — not just today on Small Business Saturday or during the holiday shopping season, but throughout the year. By shopping small, you’ll be making a smart investment in our communities that directly benefits everyone in our Capital Region. In fact, studies show that every dollar spent at a locally owned business has three times the economic impact on our community as a dollar spent at a national chain.
These local businesses are entwined in the fabric of our region and help foster our shared sense of community. Today and every day, I hope you’ll join me in showing thanks to our incredible small business owners and entrepreneurs by shopping small!
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- With holiday season in full swing, it’s a critical time to be aware of your rights as a consumer.
- To keep you updated, I’ll be hosting an informational workshop on federal consumer protection and safety this upcoming Thursday December 5th , at 7:00 PM.
- I’ll be joined by representatives from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), who will give presentations and offer tips, resources and updates on how you can keep yourselves and your loved ones safe this holiday season and year-round.
- This event will be streamed live HERE on my Facebook page at facebook.com/reppaultonko (please note that you do not need a Facebook account to watch).
- If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, I welcome you to share them with my office at 518-465-0700.
