FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Wendi Leggitt

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PATERSON NEW REVENUE FORECAST LITTLE MORE THAN FANTASY

Cynical Bid to Kill Jobs, Put Teens at Risk Must be Rejected

NEW YORK, NY February 9, 2010 – Governor Paterson’s 21-day budget amendments not only
continue his job-killing idea to legalize the sale of wine in grocery stores, it now includes
revenue projections that can only be described as complete fantasy, according to the Last Store
on Main Street Coalition.

This latest move follows a familiar pattern from Governor Paterson in just the last few weeks. He
proposed a budget in mid-January only to be forced to concede that his review forecasts were
wrong. There is no reason to believe his 21-day amendment forecasts will be any more accurate.

“Paterson's fantasy revenues may look good on paper but will never be realized given the burden
these fees would mean for business owners who will struggle to afford them,” Jeff Saunders,
head of the Retailer’s Alliance and founder of the Last Store on Main Street Coalition. “These
kinds of paper gimmicks are exactly why New York State is in a fiscal hole to begin with and
will not solve any problems.”

In addition, Paterson's projections fail to account for the loss of revenue from sales, business and
income taxes, along with increased costs for unemployment that will result if this bad idea is
adopted.

If adopted, this plan would result in more than 1,000 stores closing and more than 4,500 people
losing their jobs. In addition, hundreds of union jobs for workers who sell and deliver to these
stores would be lost.

“The Governor needs to come clean on his phony numbers, and acknowledge the devastating
impacts it will have on working families across the state,” said Stefan Kalogridis, head of the
New York State Liquor Store Association and a coalition leader. “We are confident the State
Legislature will see through these fake numbers, and understand that killing jobs in this economy
is a bad idea.”

In addition to the costs associated with job losses, Paterson also fails to account for the increased
costs associated with underage drinking. According to his own administration, the State spends
$3.2 billion annually on underage drinking – a number that would only increase as underage
drinking increases.

-more-

“Law Enforcement organizations across New York oppose this bad idea because they know that
putting wine in stores on every street corner in New York will inevitably lead to an increase in
underage drinking,” said Michael Correra, head of the Metropolitan Package Store Association
and a coalition leader. “These latest phony revenue forecasts are a cynical attempt to get the
State Legislature to ignore the social costs this bad idea would have on families in every
community. We trust the Legislature will not let the Governor put our teenagers at further risk.”

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