Town of Brookhaven Officials Offer Solutions to the Governor for Common Sense Reopening

Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor State of New York
NYS Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo,

Brookhaven Town has created a Business Recovery Task Force to assist local businesses in reopening and recovering from the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing NY-PAUSE, which required all but a handful of essential businesses to close while New Yorkers shelter in place. One of the first things recommended by the Task Force was an executive order from the County for delayed payment of property taxes.

Current restrictions under NY-Pause, and those proposed in the phased reopening of business, are contradictory in some instances and favor large chain stores over small businesses. Bagel stores are now crowded with people standing in line for take out orders while florists, which traditionally see low foot traffic, remain closed. Family businesses on Main Streets in our communities are shuttered and slowly going bankrupt as they watch their former customers go to “big box” stores like Target, BJs and Costco to purchase items that sit on the shelves of their closed stores. Driving ranges on municipal courses are open, while driving ranges at miniature golf and other small, privately owned amusement businesses are shuttered. New York’s restrictions, while quickly put in place to preserve the public health, have resulted in the State creating economic winners and losers, without any sense of fairness or equity.

Rather than choosing industries or business types for various stages of reopening, the Brookhaven Business Recovery Task Force recommends that use of square footage should be the guiding force in restarting our economy. For instance, if your building is XXX square feet, you can safely have X number of employees/patrons in your facility. These numbers would be calculated so that the maximum number of employees/patrons would ensure a six-foot buffer between people. This would allow small businesses to open at the same time as their larger competitors, while affording the same protections for their employees and customers through social distancing restrictions, sanitizing and requirements for masks and face coverings.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.