A growing number of small businesses are calling on New York to delay the quarterly collection of state sales tax revenue, due Friday.

The New York State Restaurant Association this week asked Governor Andrew Cuomo to push the date back.  Those businesses are limited to offering take out only, or are shuttered altogether, due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Greg Cody, owner of Brimont Bistro in Webster, had to lay off nine employees.  He still owes them two paychecks, and still has to cover the rest of his bills.

“It’s going to be a tough day Friday,” said Cody, who’s operated in the village for sixteen years. “I understand the state needs money to do the things they’re doing.”

Across the street in Webster, Tom McCoy has operated Performance Hobbies for nearly thirty years. He says If Cuomo doesn’t delay the sales tax collection, many businesses might not make it.

“Is it a ton of money?  No,” said McCoy. “But it’s enough to pay our bills, our mortgages, our taxes.”

Many merchants say the March state sales tax payment is their largest, as it includes tax collected from holiday season sales.