Malls remain closed

Erie County continues to lose out on sales tax revenue typically generated from the Walden Galleria

BY FRIDAY -- GENESEE,ORLEANS ANDWYOMING COUNTIESCOULD BE IN PHASE 4OF REOPENING... WITHTHE REST OFWESTERN NEW YORKPOSSIBLY JOINING IN...A WEEK FROM TODAYTHAT MEANS... ARTSAND ENTERTAINMENTVENUES, ANDEDUCATION CENTERS..WILL REOPEN.BUT AS 7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTER ALITOUHEY TELLS US...SOME COMMUNITIESARE CONCERNEDABOUT THEBUSINESSES THAT AREFORCED TO STAYCLOSED.120-127SOT OPEN :03FRUSTRATED?

I FELTBEYOND FRUSTRATED.

IFELT SICK TO MYSTOMACH.IT'S ANOTHER BLOWFOR MALL BUSINESSOWNERS LIKEMARLENE GIGLIOTTISOT :04GIGLIOTTI: I DON'TKNOW WHERE ITLEAVES ME AS FAR ASWHAT TO EXPECT.GIGLIOTTI'S SALON ISONE OF SOME 200BUSINESSES STILLCLOSED INSIDE THEWALDEN GALLERIA.THE STATE ISN'TALLOWING MALLS TORE-OPEN OVERCONCERNS OFSPREADING COVID 19.STATEASSEMBLYWOMANMONICA WALLACESAYS SHE WANTS TOSEE THE DATA THATPROVES MALLS POSEAN INCREASED RISKOVER OTHER RETAILSTORES ALREADY UPAND RUNNING.SOT :09WALLACE: IF THERE'SSCIENCE SUPPORTINGTHIS DECISION, THENFINE.

BUT, I JUST DON'TSEE HOW IT EXISTSAND I THINK WE NEEDTO GOVERN FROM DATAAND NOT FROMOPINIONS.THE MALL'S CLOSURECONTINUES TO BE ABURDEN ON THELOCAL ECONOMY.

IN2019IT GENERATEDMORE THAN 36MILLION IN LOCAL ANDSTATE SALES TAXREVENUE.

CLOSE TO 5MILLION WENT TO THETOWN OFCHEEKTOWAGA.SOT :09VIA PHONE:BENCZKOWSKI: THEYNOT ONLY VISIT THEMALL BUT AFTER THEMALL, THEY VISIT SOMEESTABLISHMENTSRIGHT AROUND THERE.SO, IT HAS A HUGEEFFECT ON OURENTIRE TOWN.FOR MALL STOREOWNERS LIKEMARLENE GIGLIOTTISHE THINKS AREOPENING DATE IS AREASONABLEREQUEST.

HERFINANCIAL RECOVERYDEPENDS ON IT.SOT :08GIGLIOTTI: WE AREAPPLYING FOR LOANS,BUT FOR US TORECOVER, IT'S GOINGTO TAKE 18 MONTHS TOTHREE YEARS.SOT :15ALI 5P OUT: SO, WHILEPLACES LIKE THEWALDEN GALLERIACONTINUE TO WAITFOR THE GREEN LIGHT,OTHER INDUSTRIESARE GETTING IT.

FORREACTION FROMTH