ABOUT THE LEGISLATION

The Lift Our Communities, Advertise Locally (LOCAL) Act, sponsored by New York State Sen. Monica R. Martinez and assemblymember Jen Lunsford, would establish a new $10 million tax credit for small businesses advertising in local media outlets, which New Yorkers rely on every day for critical information. A robust local economy and a trusted local news source are necessary pillars of a strong community.

WHO’S ELIGIBLE?

Advertisers that are minority-, woman- or veteran-owned businesses, or any advertiser with 10 employees or fewer, would be eligible to receive a refundable tax credit of 80 percent of their first $5,000 of local advertising for a maximum credit of $4,000 per year. A refundable tax credit is as good as cash—advertisers receive the full amount of the credit even if they don’t have a tax liability. The program would be capped at $10 million annually. The advertising would need to be placed in a local news outlet, which would include print, broadcast, and digital, with no regard to the ownership type or size of the local news outlet.

WHO BENEFITS?

The LOCAL Act would help small businesses promote their products and services, while maintaining investment in local media. By making advertising more affordable, the LOCAL Act would empower small businesses to reach their target audiences, while supporting the essential work of the media outlets that provide local journalism to our communities. In effect, advertisers receive an 80 percent discount when promoting their goods and services with local news outlets, allowing them to allocate a substantially larger budget for local ads. Meanwhile, the local news outlets receive full price for these advertisements, which should generate additional revenue for these outlets.

WHAT’S NEXT?

To become a reality, the LOCAL Act needs to be included in New York State’s FY26 Budget, which must be passed by both the State Senate and Assembly and signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul by April 1, 2025. The bill has already garnered strong support from business trade groups throughout New York, which view the proposal as a solution to increase investment in small businesses and sustain local news organizations. Tell your State Senator and Assemblymember to vote in favor of the LOCAL Act!

ABOUT THE EMPIRE STATE LOCAL NEWS COALITION

Comprising more than 200 print and online newspapers, the Empire State Local News Coalition launched in 2024 to advocate for sound public policy that ensures the important work of local news organizations can continue across New York State. Through our independent journalism, we aim to serve, inform, uplift, and protect New Yorkers. We care deeply about our local communities as well as the future of New York’s free press.

For more information
visit SaveNYLocalNews.com.

Empire State Local News Coalition www.savenylocalnews.com
info@savenylocalnews.com