Griffo to SLA: Cease and desist

New York State Senate Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-I-C-Rome, released the following statement today regarding the New York State Liquor Authority’s decision to appeal a recent Supreme Court ruling that lifted a ban on advertised and ticketed live entertainment at restaurants and bars:

“New York’s restaurants, bars and small businesses have already suffered greatly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. They are doing their best to comply with established COVID-19 protocols. The SLA shouldn’t waste taxpayer dollars by appealing this decision. Instead, they should take a step back and respect and accept the judge’s decision. The SLA should work with struggling bar and restaurant owners and develop innovative ideas that can help them such as providing credits to businesses that were closed and forced to cease on-premise sales and were unable to fully utilize their licenses as originally proposed as a result of the pandemic.”