Lawmakers need to stop stalling on welcome relief for small businesses in Kentucky
On Jan. 7, during his State of the Commonwealth address, Governor Andy Beshear made an announcement that made small businesses owners in Kentucky like us very happy and very relieved.
In announcing $220 million for a small business relief fund and an additional $20 million for nonprofits, the governor proved once again that he is stepping up for Kentuckians and their businesses.
Our happiness and relief turned to disappointment, however, now that Republicans have stalled that relief. Instead of being able to apply for relief this week, we are stuck in limbo again. The Republicans’ decision to stall this House Bill 191 means that the very earliest any small business could receive help is several weeks from now — and for some, that will be too late.
We expected the very first thing Republicans in the state legislature would have done is join with the governor in a bipartisan fashion to help Kentucky small businesses and nonprofits. Instead, they passed a bunch of laws that don’t provide direct assistance and won’t do a single thing to solve the issue that has put nearly every Kentucky business in a bind — a 100 year global pandemic.
We know why people aren’t shopping in person in our stores as much right now — COVID-19 is still raging across our commonwealth and our country. The way to get Kentucky open for business again is to defeat this virus. The way to help small businesses the most while we do our best to wait patiently is to provide direct relief. Now, not later.
Whether it’s $20,000 per small business or $10,000 per nonprofit, that is money we can use right now to pay any past due bills, pay our employees and sustain our companies. Every single dollar of help matters.
That’s why we’re calling on our state lawmakers to prioritize the Governor’s small business and nonprofit funds, House Bill 191, immediately. We want them to pass it as quickly as possible. If they can come in on a Saturday to pass a bunch of confusing bills that no one has seen before they voted, they can work on a Saturday to deliver the help we really need.
You can call your legislator at 1-800-372-7181 Monday through Friday and let them know you want House Bill 191 passed immediately too.
Thank you Gov. Beshear and as we say together every week — we will get through this, we will get through this together.
This letter was signed by the following small business owners: Mike Hedden, Frankfort; Bradley J. Thornton, Murray; Andrew and Alexa Glibbery, Louisville; Jenny Urie, New Liberty; Aaron Willis, Louisville; Darlene M. Mazzone, Paducah; Stuart Bowling, Owenton; Mehrooz Mehrizi, Lexington; Col Owens Books, Ft. Mitchell; Mary Nishimuta, Frankfort; Jack Dulworth, Louisville; Soldier4Life Photography, LLC, Rineyville; Gina Lamm, Paducah; Nicole Stipp and Kaitlyn Soligan-Owens, Louisville; Ann Wingrove, Frankfort.