logo
New Nassau County bill would slash ‘shakedown' fees for business licenses

New Nassau County bill would slash ‘shakedown' fees for business licenses

New York Post25-05-2025
Small businesses in Nassau County could catch a break from the avalanche of local fees tied to dozens of required permits and licenses.
Democratic county legislator Seth Koslow, who is running against County Executive Bruce Blakeman for his seat in November, proposed legislation last week to cut up to 85 percent of local licensing fees for businesses.
'If you want to groom dogs, hang a sign, or fix locks in Nassau, you're looking at hundreds of dollars in yearly fees — it reads less like a licensing schedule and more like a shakedown list,' Koslow told The Post.
4 Small businesses in Nassau County could catch a break from the local fees tied to dozens of required permits and licenses.
Google Maps
'Small businesses are getting squeezed.'
The proposed legislation would slash fees for more than 30 types of business licenses — including those involving dry cleaners, locksmiths, dog groomers, health clubs and home-service providers — which currently cost Nassau business owners anywhere from $650 to $1,300 a year.
That's more than triple what businesses in neighboring Suffolk County pay for the same licenses, which typically range from just $100 to $200 annually — making Nassau's fees 225% to 550% higher depending on the license.
Koslow told The Post that Suffolk's model was essentially the blueprint for his bill.
'Why should a young entrepreneur in Nassau pay triple what someone pays across the county line,' Koslow said. 'That's not competition, that's punishment. These fees hit hardest for women, minority, and veteran-owned startups. This bill is how we level the playing field.'
4 Seth Koslow proposed legislation last week to cut up to 85 percent of local licensing fees for businesses.
Seth Koslow for County Executive
David Adeoya, a Nassau County-based financial adviser who works with small businesses in the area, told The Post that the proposed legislation could provide much-needed breathing room for entrepreneurs struggling to stay afloat in a tough economy while making Nassau a more competitive place to do business.
'Many small businesses are facing rising costs and higher import prices, so lowering these fees can offer meaningful relief,' Adeoya said.
4 Koslow is running against Executive Bruce Blakeman for his seat in November.
Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post
4 The proposed legislation would slash fees for more than 30 types of business licenses which currently cost Nassau business owners anywhere from $650 to $1,300 a year.
Google Maps
'Lower licensing fees mean business owners have more room in their budgets for necessities like inventory, staffing and equipment while also having the potential flexibility to add more tax efficient assets — things that directly support their businesses growth and stability.'
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said he would be on board with the legislation.
But he also noted licensing fees bring in so much money for Nassau that lowering them by nearly 80% could significantly impact the county budget.
'I am happy to cut the fees, provided Democrats come up with matching cuts to spending,' Blakeman told The Post.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

President Donald Trump endorses Mike Rogers in Michigan U.S. Senate race
President Donald Trump endorses Mike Rogers in Michigan U.S. Senate race

Yahoo

time22 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

President Donald Trump endorses Mike Rogers in Michigan U.S. Senate race

President Donald Trump endorsed former congressman Mike Rogers July 24 in his Republican bid for an open U.S. Senate seat. Trump announced the endorsement on his Truth Social media platform in a move that strengthened already strong expectations that Rogers, who lost narrowly to U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin in 2024, will again be the Republican nominee in 2026, this time for a seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township. 'I'm grateful to have President Trump's complete and total endorsement," Rogers said in a news release. 'He knows that we have what it takes to win this seat and deliver real results for hard-working families." On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, announced on X that he would not run for the U.S. Senate, after discussions with his family and "in consultation with President Trump." That announcement largely cleared the field of major potential challengers to Rogers. Huizenga did not say whether he would seek a ninth term in Congress, where he represents the 4th Congressional District and where Republicans hold a slim majority in the U.S. House going into the midterm elections. Rogers, a former FBI agent from Livingston County, served seven terms in Congress and became chair of the House Intelligence Committee before stepping down in 2015 to become a radio talk show host. Rogers also had Trump's endorsement in the 2024 U.S. Senate race. Republicans and Democrats will choose their respective U.S. Senate candidates in a primary election next year. Peters announced in January that he wouldn't seek a third six-year term, setting the stage for Michigan's second open seat U.S. Senate election in two years. A competitive race is developing on the Democratic side, where announced candidates include U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Birmingham; state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak; former state House Speaker Rep. Joe Tate, D-Detroit; and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed of Ann Arbor, a former Wayne County health director who sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018. Republicans have not won a U.S. Senate election in Michigan since former U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham won a single term in 1994. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: President Trump endorses Mike Rogers in Michigan U.S. Senate race

Google partners with Italy's Energy Dome on zero-emission power supply
Google partners with Italy's Energy Dome on zero-emission power supply

Yahoo

time22 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Google partners with Italy's Energy Dome on zero-emission power supply

MILAN (Reuters) -Italian energy storage firm Energy Dome said on Friday it had entered a commercial partnership with Google to supply carbon-free energy to the grids that power the operations of the U.S. tech giant. As part of the agreement, Google has made a strategic investment in Milan-based Energy Dome, which has developed a CO2 battery technology to support the energy transition through long-duration energy storage solutions, the companies said in a joint statement. They did not disclose the financial details. Google joins other investors in the Italian energy storage firm such as Oman's sovereign wealth fund and global tank storage operator Vopak. Google's first commercial long-duration energy storage deal is part of a growing number of advanced energy technologies the group needs to hit a goal to run its operations on 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030. Energy Dome's CO2-based system stores energy by compressing and liquefying carbon dioxide, which is later expanded to generate electricity. The technology avoids the use of scarce raw materials such as lithium and copper, making it potentially attractive to European policymakers seeking to reduce reliance on critical minerals and bolster energy security. Energy Dome launched its first commercial-scale plant in Sardinia in 2022 with a view to completing it by the end of 2024, with a 24-hour cycle and a 20-megawatt capacity able to power 13,000-15,000 houses. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Darling: Q2 Earnings Snapshot
Darling: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Yahoo

time22 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Darling: Q2 Earnings Snapshot

IRVING, Texas (AP) — IRVING, Texas (AP) — Darling Ingredients Inc. (DAR) on Thursday reported second-quarter profit of $12.7 million. On a per-share basis, the Irving, Texas-based company said it had net income of 8 cents. Earnings, adjusted to extinguish debt, were 9 cents per share. The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 12 cents per share. The producer of natural ingredients from edible and inedible bionutrients posted revenue of $1.48 billion in the period. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights ( using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on DAR at

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store