Gov. Tom Wolf has called on the General Assembly to provide additional financial relief for small businesses that have suffered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis, but it is also an economic crisis. In order to help Pennsylvania’s economy recover from the effects of COVID-19, it is vital that we continue to support businesses in Pennsylvania, especially as so many have taken on additional work and costs to keep their employees and customers safe since reopening,” Wolf said on Sept. 10.
Specifically, the governor is urging the General Assembly to provide an additional $225 million in federal CARES Act funding as forgivable loans and small grants to small businesses throughout Pennsylvania. The additional funding would be distributed through the COVID-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance Program, developed in partnership with state lawmakers and allocated through the state budget, which included $2.6 billion in federal stimulus funds through the CARES Act. Of the funding, $225 million had already been earmarked for small business relief.
The governor has also proposed $100 million in forgivable loans and grants for hospitality, leisure and service industries.
In making his announcement in York, the governor was joined by the York County Economic Alliance and other officials.
The governor noted that York County is utilizing a portion of its $40.5 million in CARES Act funding to further support small businesses in the county. The county created the YoCo Strong Restart Grant Program, a competitive grant program developed and managed by the York County Economic Alliance and Community First Fund to provide $10 million to support small businesses and $4 million to support nonprofit organizations.
“Our small businesses need the continued support from our commonwealth, and we are encouraged by all that has been done to date. We are optimistic of the legislative proposals set forth, and know these decisions are incredibly vital for our health and continued economic recovery,” said Kevin Schreiber, president and CEO of the York County Economic Alliance.
A group of Republican state legislators from York and Adams Counties, meanwhile, panned the governor’s visit to York.
“The reason why our small businesses are struggling is because the governor enacted prolonged and inconsistent business shutdown policies which led to Pennsylvania having the second-highest number of unemployed individuals in the entire country,” the Republican lawmakers said. “Small businesses took the brunt of the damage from his decisions.”
The lawmakers said the governor’s policies have benefited corporate-owned big box stores while penalizing locally owned businesses, including family-owned bars, restaurants and taverns.
York Democratic State Rep. Carol Hill-Evans said the funding proposed by the governor would provide working capital for the commonwealth’s small businesses who need it the most. “Now, we as legislators must put aside political differences to quickly pass much-needed legislation that will help keep our small businesses afloat,” she added.