Fees could snuff out convenience stores

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A local businessman says he's being burned by skyrocketing state fees. Some mom and pop convenience stores in western New York may be in danger of closing.

Mark Sidebottom thinks what the new fees are going to do to his small businesses is, "Unconscionable, unbelievable."

Sidebottom owns a chain of 36 convenience stores, mostly Yellow Goose and Arrow Mart. His tobacco license will soar from $3600 dollars to $75,000 thousand, payable in September. He believes lawmakers didn't even know what they were voting on.

Sidebottom said, "This came out of the last few hours of the budget process, middle of the night. Somebody inserted it and next morning, of course, they voted on it."

Customers, already outraged by rising prices, taxes and fees in the state, sounded off on the latest revelation.

Buffalo taxpayer Tim Blest said, "Do you hear any one of them State senators or reps telling you that they're going to jack you that high? No, they don't. They just say they need the taxes, but they don't say what they're doing to the little guy."

Caroline Degnan runs a food pantry in South Buffalo and she has seen a 35% increase in families that can't make ends meet, "They can't put food on their tables, so people are coming to the food pantry now, they are. So, it's bad around here."

Convenience stores like the Yellow Goose with gas stations on the property have had a hard time competing with Native American gasoline and cigarette outlets that don't pay fees and taxes to the state.

Sidebottom said, "It's extremely difficult to compete with the Native Americans, so there's a great possibility that with the next year or so we will shut down specific stores."

Sidebottom has e-mailed State Senator George Maziarz, hoping lawmakers might roll back the retail tobacco fees. Senator Maziarz told News 4 it was typical of a budget that was conceived in secret and hastily passed. Republicans voted against it. The state was facing a $17 billion deficit.