November 29, 2025
Dear Friends,
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and good food!
For so many of us, this holiday season is one of the biggest shopping times of the year — a time where we scour stores and shelves on the hunt for gifts for our loved ones. Unfortunately, this holiday shopping season is being impacted by the catastrophic economic policies of this administration — namely, President Trump’s tariffs.
One recent study showed that Trump’s tariffs have directly contributed to a $40 billion increase on holiday shopping costs. New analysis shows that, under Donald Trump and Republicans, the cost of a full Thanksgiving dinner costs nearly 10 percent more this year — stretching family budgets during the biggest grocery week of the year. On top of food and groceries, electronics, toys, clothing, and more have all jumped in price this year. And just like American families, countless small businesses are also being slapped with these higher prices, forcing our local entrepreneurs to absorb costs on already razor-thin margins and, as a last resort, to raise prices.
Our region is home to hundreds of small businesses that deliver vibrancy, jobs, and economic opportunity for our communities. These local businesses are entwined in the fabric of our region and help foster our shared sense of community.
This week, in preparation for Small Business Saturday, I visited two independent businesses in our Capital Region to hear firsthand about the challenges they are facing as a result of Trump’s disastrous tariff policies, and to encourage local residents to continue to support our small businesses this holiday season.
On Monday, I stopped by Saratoga Chocolate Co., a locally owned and nationally recognized chocolate shop located in the heart of downtown Saratoga Springs. Founded in 2016 by owners Allison and Hank Rose, Saratoga Chocolate Co. was named the #3 Best Chocolate Shop in America by the 2024 USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards.
On Tuesday, I visited DeFazio’s at 216, the newest location of Troy’s famous DeFazio’s Pizzeria. DeFazio’s has been a local staple since 1951, when Anthony and Josephine DeFazio opened a grocery store in South Troy. Their son Rocco opened a pizzeria next door in 1989, and Rocco, his son Matt, and Matt’s wife Elizabeth now operate pizzerias in Troy and Albany as well as DeFazio’s at 216, a fine dining location opened just last year.
Both of these businesses have faced sharp increases in operating costs this year as a result of President Trump’s reckless tariff policies — and I’ve been pushing back against these unlawful actions that are causing economic chaos and rising costs for consumers and entrepreneurs alike. Last month, I joined many of my colleagues in a message to the Supreme Court to demand they that they uphold the legislative branch’s power of the purse by determining that the President cannot impose these tariffs without Congressional approval.
With tariffs and other market pressures threatening the survival of our beloved local retailers, it’s more important than ever to shop small this holiday season and support our Capital Region’s small business community. Studies show that every dollar spent at a locally owned business has three times the economic impact on our community as a dollar spent at a national chain. If you are financially able to do so, I encourage you to take full advantage of our Capital Region’s stellar local businesses by shopping small this holiday season and beyond.
As we show our thanks to our incredible small business owners and entrepreneurs, you also have my pledge to continue to push for sound, just federal action that makes life more, not less, affordable for working Americans.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
Close to $100 million in new funding is newly available for active transportation-related projects and programs that support the advancement of healthy lifestyles across New York State.
Known as the 2025 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), projects selected under this solicitation will support the Department of Transportation’s commitment to community-centered transportation by providing safe, reliable and resilient transportation systems. Selected projects, which include multi-use paths for pedestrians and bicyclists, will also connect communities, enhance the quality of life, protect the environment and support the economic well-being of New York State.
