Business

The way Bob Miller sees it, before long, if you want to learn to fly, you will need to go to Pennsylvania or Ohio because there will be no flight schools left in New York.

"The state is holding all the cards on this," Miller told members of the Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday.

Within the past year, NYS Taxation and Finance has started auditing the owners of airplanes that are used as rentals for flight school students.

The state is demanding payment, Miller said, of taxes that were once exempt.

According to Miller, he can't legally charge students tax for their flight hours, but when private plane owners rent their planes to flight schools, the state is now demanding the owners pay sales tax on those fees.

As a result private plane owners who have been audited by the state will no longer rent their planes to flight schools.

More than two months ago, plane owners in Lancaster were audited and Miller was forced to close his school there. Now the state has gone after Batavia plane owners and he must shut down his aviation school here.

"It's not a new law," Miller said. "It's a new interpretation. The executive branch is holding all of the private airplane owners hostage to their interpretation of the code."

According to Miller, this hasn't been an issue in New York for 40 years, and certainly not during the 20 years he's been involved in aviation instruction.

"The state is so desperate for sales tax revenue they're going after everything," Miller said.

Currently, according to Miller, investors buy airplanes without sales tax if they are renting the planes to flight schools. If the planes are rented to private pilots who are not students, then the owners must pay sales tax; if the owners take the planes on a flight for their own private use, they must pay a portion of sales tax for the usage, but for 40 years, there's been no sales tax, he said, on student rentals through flight schools.

The state is requiring plane owners to pay for past unpaid sales taxes going up to five years back.

As a result, Miller said, the plane owners are just ceasing rental services to aviation schools in the state.

Miller has a lease for hangars and office space in the Genesee County Airport through 2015 and he's being asked to be let out of the lease because he's now out of business as a result of the state's actions.

Highway Superintendent Tim Hens recommended the Legislature require Miller to pay rent for 90 days, giving the county time to find a new tenant.

Hens said he isn't worried about filling the hangars -- there's a waiting list for hangar space, but he isn't sure the office space in the terminal will be filled, especially since it will be hard to find another filght school under the current circumstances.

The county will lose about $2,400 a month $2,700 per year in revenue with the flight school closed, due to a decrease in aviation fuel sales.

Press release:

Darien Lake confirms that its amusement park and water park were closed for approximately two hours today, after the water supply was accidentally cut off.

Monroe County Water Authority had been conducting routine maintenance nearby, which adversely affected the park’s water supply at 11:30 a.m. During the outage, Darien Lake’s bathrooms, food service, and water park were affected.

Darien Lake management closed the park at noon for guest safety. The park’s maintenance crews restored service before 1 p.m., and the park was reopened by 2 p.m.

UMMC welcomed a group of new residents to their team today. All six are training as doctors of osteopathic medicine. They are, from left, Tobin Carson, Adia Taylor, Cedric McKinney, Imeh Sampson Jr., J. Francis Asuquo and Mithun Daniel.

The state's red "SEIZED" signs are out of the windows at Molasses Hill Bulk Foods on Ellicott Street in Batavia and a new sign is taped to the front door: "Closed til 9:00 AM Wed 6/26."

Previously: Molasses Hill closed, seized by state

Genesee County's unemployment rate for May 2013 is the lowest it's been in 57 months, according to data released today by the NYS Department of Labor.

At 6.2 percent, it hasn't been lower since Dec. 2008, when the rate was 5.6 percent.

The previous month, April, Genesee County's rate was reported at 7.1 and a year ago May it was reported at 7.4 percent.

In the prior 18 months, the county's unemployment rate dipped below 7 percent only once.

The lowest rate for the county since the turn of the century was 3.2 percent in October 2000.

The state's unemployment rate is said to be 7.4 percent, down from a year ago but up 1/10th of a percent since April 2013.

The nation's rate is 7.3 percent.

Orleans County is 8.4 percent, Wyoming 7.1 and Livingston 7.1.

The Rochester area's rate is reported at 7.0 and Buffalo at 7.3.

Molasses Hill Bulk Foods on Ellicott Street, Batavia, is closed after the store was seized by an agent of NYS Taxation and Finance this morning.

Neal Harder, husband of owner Shannon Harder, said he and his wife are trying to negotiate with Taxation and Finance to be able to reopen today with an agreement to pay taxes owed by July 15.

He said he felt the sudden closure was the result of a disagreement between his wife and the agent.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) recently lamented the loss of 174 jobs through the announced closure of the Bernz-O-Matic manufacturing plant in Medina. Worthington Industries, owners of Bernz-O-Matic, indicated that local employees would have the opportunity to transfer to the company’s plant in Wisconsin, which served as little consolation for proud local residents, Hawley noted. The assemblyman has reached out to Worthington Industries Chairman and CEO John McConnell to discuss the best ways to mitigate the economic damage in Medina.

“The news of Bernz-O-Matic’s closure is heartbreaking for the people employed at the plant, their families and all of us across Orleans County,” Hawley said. “Our immediate priority must be to help those affected find new work here in our community as quickly as humanly possible. I offer my deepest regrets to all of Bernz-O-Matic’s employees and pledge my full support in working through this difficult time.”

Coming on the heels of Chase Bank’s call center closure, Hawley lamented the job-killing policies forced on Western New York by out-of-touch lawmakers at the Capitol.

“How many more local jobs must be lost; how many more local families have to suffer before the Capitol lawmakers see the destruction that New York’s anti-business climate causes?” Hawley asked. “Runaway taxes, overregulation and regressive policies have run countless job creators out of our community, yet legislative leaders continue to repeat the mistakes of old that have left our hardworking families out in the cold. It’s time to open our eyes and change our courses before Western New York’s families are forced to watch another company take their jobs across state lines.”

Steve Carr, a popular local businessman who managed the C.L. Carr store in its final years, passed away Friday after suffering a heart attack while swimming at Stafford Country Club.

Carr was 66.

Funeral arrangements are pending, but will be handled by H.E. Turner.

His death comes as a shock to many people who remember him as a warm and fun person.

Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian remembers that Carr helped her get reestablished in Batavia after she returned to her native city 40 years ago.

"He was a generous person," Christian said.

Peter Mumford, Carr's cousin, said they were both born in 1947 and grew up together and remained close.

"He was always trying to help people out," Mumford said. "I always considered him a bon vivant. He liked to travel. He liked people a lot. He liked music, especially blues."

Carr was the grandson of C.L. Carr who opened a retail store in Batavia in 1917. That store would become one of the mainstays in the city until about 2001, but changes in the local market made it difficult for the family to keep the large department store open.

Carr was the majority shareholder, but members of the Carr, Minor and Mumford families also held shares, Mumford said.

A member of Rotary, Carr remained active in the community after the store closed.

The winner of our recently completed Facebook Like contest sponsored by Council Opticians of Batavia is Cara Grosshans.

Cara wins a Coach handbag.

If you would like to get more fans for your business page on Facebook, contact Lisa Ace at (585) 250-4118 to find out more.

Batavia's legendary landmark diner the Pok-A-Dot turned 60 today with a few hundred people turning out for the celebration.

Above, owners Joe Marone and Phil Pastore are congratulated by one of the regular customers, James Pero, on the anniversary.

Press release:

Through financial support provided by National Fuel and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the first class of 25 graduates received certificates as part of a workforce development program targeting the food processing industry.

Certificates were awarded to the graduates in Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt through RIT, basic dairy science and sanitation through Cornell University, as well as team building and OSHA training in a manufacturing environment through The BEST Center at Genesee Community College.

“This program is just another example of the high level of collaboration in our region between the public and private sectors and in this instance, our centers of higher education and food processing companies,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center. “If we are going to create a world-class industry cluster in the food processing industry, then we need to make sure our workforce is highly trained and educated.”

Cornell University’s Department of Food Science and Cornell Cooperative Extension has been a long-term resource to the food growing and dairy processing industry in Western NY.

“Workforce development is now a key to the growing industry and we are continuously developing and improving our training programs and accessibility to meet industry needs and to support economic development," said Tristan Zuber, Dairy Foods Processing Extension associate with Cornell University.

The first graduating class of 25 individuals was from a pool of 78 applications. Sixteen graduates were from Genesee County; three from Livingston County; two from Orleans and Monroe counties; and, one from Wyoming and Cattaraugus counties.

One graduate has been hired while 18 graduates will visit and tour Yancey’s Fancy, an artisan cheese maker in Corfu, as part of a job application project at the company. Alpina and Muller Quaker Dairy are also interviewing and considering the graduates at their yogurt manufacturing facility in the Genesee Agri-Business Park.

“This is just the first step in a process to ensure that as the food processing industry grows there is an ample supply of labor to fill jobs,” said John Jakubowski a workforce consultant hired by GCEDC. “The certificate program provides a short-term solution to fill a gap, but we need to continue working on a longer term plan so that people who want a career in food processing have the skills and training to be successful.”

As part of this process, Genesee Community College has asked the New York State Education Department to approve a two year Food Processing Technology associates degree. The program has already been approved by the GCC Board of Trustees and is now under review by the State University of New York as well as SED.

“While anticipating the implementation of GCC’s full credit Food Processing Technology program, The BEST Center will be offering three more sessions of the two-week, intensive certificate program,” said Lina LaMattina, director of Business Skills Training at The BEST Center. “We are also reaching out to numerous companies within all segments of the food industry to expand employment opportunities for the program participants. After a very successful first class, we are looking forward to the next session which starts September 23, 2013.”

Those interested in applying to be part of next training cohort should contact the Genesee County Career Center (One Stop) in the Eastown Plaza, 587 E. Main St., Suite 100, Batavia, (585) 344-2042. Applicants take ability tests in math and reading. If needed, assistance with these skills is available.


May 2013 GCEDC Food Processing Training Program Graduates (all of New York):

Craig Barnes – Le Roy
Dawn Czaja – Oakfield
Victor DiGregorio – Byron
Mark Ebersole – Mt. Morris
Mary Fulkerson – Rochester  
Jeffery German – Batavia
Laurie Gerstenslager – Delevan
Donna Heininger – Batavia  
Elizabeth Horner – Darien Center
Jeanne Jansch – Dansville
Kevin Jones – Batavia  
Sharon Joyce – Batavia 
Jake Kent III – Henrietta
Steven Lindsley – Warsaw
Donald Lowe – Batavia  
Catherine MacConnell – Bergen   
Jacob MacConnell – Bergen
David Minervino – Medina
Thomas Misisco – Pavilion  
John Mosher – Bergen
Rachel Neilans – Alexander
Elise Prevost – Leicester
Daniel Sobczak – Batavia
Paul Stack – Elba
Jamie Unger – Kent
 

Press release:

Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation (WROTBC), owner/operator of Batavia Downs has pledged its support of the Upstate New York Gaming Economic Development Act and the referendum that will be put to the citizens of New York State in November.

“This legislation keeps Batavia Downs Gaming as a vital partner to state and local governments,” said Michael Kane, president and CEO of WROTBC and Batavia Downs Gaming. “This act will allow us to continue providing good paying jobs and generating significant funding for schools and our municipalities. Governor Cuomo and the legislature recognize the significant contributions made by racetrack casinos in Western New York to state education funding and job creation.”

Press release:

“Today’s unfortunate defeat of the House Farm Bill speaks to the dysfunction in Washington that continues to stand in the way of solving real problems for real Americans.

Agriculture is a critical industry in New York’s 27th Congressional District, impacting our local residents far beyond those directly doing the hard work of farming. Our farmers and growers deserve a Congress that can come together and pass a long-term Farm Bill. It is essential to help our agricultural industry plan and prepare.

As  a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I remain committed to the work ahead to see a Farm Bill become law.” 

The Downtown Public Market opened today at the corner of Center and Ellicott.

Above, Eliza Schwab of Schwab Farms, Gasport.

Tiffany Ivison, Usborne Books.

Salters Alston, Alston's BBQ sauce. (Stop by for some pulled pork!)

Press release:

Press release:

BRING YOUR FEET DOWNTOWN AND MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES! The Batavia Business Improvement District announces the opening of the Downtown Batavia Public Market on Thursday, June 20 and runs through Sept. 26. The market is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., every Thursday and is located at the corner of Center & Ellicott (Rte 63) streets in Downtown Batavia.

Conveniently located in the center of our city, visit our market before you do your regular shopping to be sure your food is the freshest and that your dollars remain local. Now entering its eighth year, the public market has grown and changed to become a staple of the Downtown.

The market this season will have the following vendors providing fresh baked goods, a wide variety of produce and fruits herbs, flowers, maple syrup, dip mixes, dog treats, BBQ sauce, handmade quilts and other items. Plus, pulled pork sandwiches, Italian sausage, hot dogs and hamburgers for lunchtime at the market. Look for the colorful umbrellas.

Vendors include: Alston’s BBQ Sauce; Athena’s Bakery & Dog Treats; Crazy Quilts; Irene’s Variety; Karen’s Yarn Paper & Scissors; Nice Farms; Stymus Farms; and Schwab Farms.

If you would like to know more about how to participate in the Downtown Public Market, please contact Don Burkel at the BID at 585-344-0900 or email dburkel@downtownbataviany.com for local food, fun, and familiar faces!

Press release:

To mark National Small Business Week, Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) is asking small business owners in his district to complete an online survey about the economy and other issues impacting the small business sector. Starting today, Collins will be e-mailing the survey to small business owners across the eight counties of New York’s 27th Congressional District. Small business owners not a part of the Congressman’s e-mail list are encouraged to complete the survey on the Congressman’s Web site.

The survey asks local small business owners to weigh in on such topics as federal regulations, taxes, and the new employer mandate which is part of the President’s healthcare law. Collins is also asking small business owners to report on recent hiring activity, reasons why owners are or are not hiring, and what programs they would like to see the federal government pursue to spur small business growth and development.

“As a small business owner myself, I understand firsthand the challenges and hurdles business owners face on a day-to-day basis,” Collins said. “As a member of Congress, one of my top goals is to continue to push hard for common-sense polices that create the right kind of economic environment for small business entrepreneurs to expand their company or start a new business, and hire more people. While I will continue to visit directly with small business owners all across NY-27, this survey is a great opportunity to hear from a wide array of small business owners so I can best represent their interests in Washington.”

Collins is a member of the House Small Business Committee and chairman of its Subcommittee on Health and Technology. National Small Business Week runs from June 17 through June 21. On June 21, Collins will host a roundtable meeting, talking with small business owners directly about the issues addressed in the survey.

The survey can be found online at chriscollins.house.gov

The Pok-A-Dot turns 60 years old this month and co-owner Phil Pastore couldn't be happier.

Not many restaurants survive 60 years, and fewer still with the same ownership.

"It’s probably one of the greatest things in my life, to own something for 60 years and still be alive to appreciate it," Pastore said.

"We're quite proud," said his wife, Leona, "quite proud."

Pastore said his friend Joe Marone, who ran a concession business, came to him one day while he was working at Masse Harris and suggested they open a hot dog stand at the corner of Ellicott and Liberty streets.

In the 60 years since, the Pok-A-Dot has become a landmark, a throwback to a simpler time of friends and neighbors seeing each other every day and sharing a bite to eat. It was the favorite restaurant of famed author John Gardner and has become a must-visit stop for many politicians on the campaign trail.

It's been featured in international media reports.

And still, it's a place where locals come for coffee and breakfast or a beef-on-weck every day.

"It's the food," Pastore said, explaining the Pok-A-Dot's success. "And it's a very friendly place, a place where you can sit around an eat and talk with people. That's what it's really known for."

The 60th anniversary celebration will be from 5 to 9 p.m., June 22. Musician Bill McDonald and friends will play and many old friends are sure to gather.

Photo: Joe Marone, Joanne Cox, Phil Pastore and Nicole Johnson.

We're not supposed to call it Batavia Downs Casino anymore, but beyond that, officials are still sorting out what a new compact between New York and the Seneca Nation means for Western Regional OTB.

In exchange for resuming long-overdue payments, at a reduced rate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has granted the Senecas exclusive rights to casino operations in WNY.

Exactly what "exclusivity" means hasn't been entirely spelled out, said Michael Kane, president of the Western Regional OTB.

Dick Siebert said he's worried the governor has given away Rochester to the Senecas after promising that Batavia Downs would be the only gaming facility in the region.

Dropping "casino" from the name isn't too troubling, nor is the requirement to stop calling video terminal games "slots," and even the loss of electronic table games isn't crippling, but there needs to be some compensation to WROTB for the deal cut with the Senecas.

The Senecas had their taxes reduced, Siebert said, so should Batavia Downs.

"They got what they wanted and we’re just looking for a little relief ourselves since they took the table games away from us," he said.

WROTB is lobbying for a 15-percent reduction in the amount of money it sends to New York, Siebert said.

"We need concessions to be able to provide more for our local counties," Siebert said.

Batavia Downs is undergoing a $27-million renovation downstairs and space was being set aside for electronic table games. That space will just now be used for something else, Siebert said.

"We can survive without them (the table games), that's for sure," Siebert said.

Kane agreed.

"We still think our customers will be very happy with the expansion," Kane said.

Related link: The Buffalo News.