Study Shows that Wine in Grocery Stores Means Opportunity for NY 
The centerpiece of Governor Cuomo's economic agenda is removing outdated, burdensome, and unnecessary regulations that make our state economically uncompetitive, so that we can once again create jobs in New York.
One way we can accomplish these goals is to end our state's prohibition on the sale of wine in grocery stores. While 35 other states allow grocery stores to sell wine and have updated their laws so that wine and liquor stores aren't subject to antiquated and draconian restrictions, New York's statutes haven't changed since the 1930s.
I sponsor legislation that will end this anachronism-creating thousands of jobs, providing lucrative new markets to small businesses, boosting key agricultural industries, improving consumer choice, and generating millions of dollars in revenue-all without raising taxes.
A study released this week by New Yorkers for Economic Growth and Open Markets found that allowing the sale of wine in grocery stores will create more than 6,000 new jobs in New York State-particularly in the economically depressed areas of Upstate and Western New York. The study also reported that the proposal would generate a one-time benefit of $346.7 million for New York State in the first year, and more than $71 billion annually after that-without creating any new taxes.
The proposal will also benefit liquor store owners, allowing them to open new locations, develop cooperative buying agreements to leverage their purchasing power, offer other products to meet customer demand and grow their businesses, sell to neighborhood retailers and restaurants to drive community economic activity, and keep the same operating hours as food stores.
As our economic base declines, New York's influence is also on the wane-we are about to lose two of our seats in Congress, which means that we are not only losing our economic power, we are losing our political power-unless we make our state more competitive by getting rid of these outdated regulations.
Not only would New York's industry and small businesses benefit, but a more competitive market would mean lower prices for consumers-not to mention the convenience of better shopping hours and the ability to buy cheese and crackers at a wine shop or a bottle of merlot at the supermarket. It's the ultimate win-win-win.