Emily Shearing writes in the Ithaca Journal - “Although it seemed the proposal to legalize the sale of wine in grocery stores had died along with Gov. David Paterson’s future as governor of New York, proponents are still working hard to keep the legislation alive.

These supporters seem to be pushing harder than ever to keep interest in the Wine Industry and Liquor Store Revitalization Act alive. Proponents have held a number of events, including a news conference last month. More groups have continued to voice their support of the proposal, including Scenic Hudson and American Farmland Trust, two groups committed to preserving New York’s farmland, which announced their support last week.”

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The proposal would allow grocers and convenience stores to carry wine in exchange for paying a franchise fee that would be scaled to the size of the retailer. Not only would the measure generate an estimated $300 million in annual revenue for the state, proponents say it also could lead to the creation of thousands of jobs and increase sales of New York wines. Paterson has proposed the legislation as part of the state budget for two years in a row.