The scene on Main Street America is bleak. In urban and rural areas, shuttered storefronts have become an all-too-familiar sight. Maryland is no exception. From my hometown in suburban Takoma Park to the charming small communities in Southern Maryland, many businesses have closed or are hanging on for dear life.
Last month, Governor Hogan announced that he will use $150 million from the Rainy Day Fund to help Maryland businesses, with another $100 million reserved for emergency funding. That’s a nice start, but it is not nearly enough. This small amount of funding will be gone before most businesses – particularly the smaller ones most in need of assistance — figure out how to complete the complex applications and submit them to the alphabet soup of agencies. On top of that, the governor’s aid package does nothing for sole proprietors.
These small businesses that represent the beating heart of our state’s economy and the character of their communities seldom ask for assistance from government, but now they’re crying out for help. We must respond immediately with even more funding and make the process quick and easy.
Simply put, in the absence of significantly more state support that what Governor Hogan has offered, more businesses will shut down and take with them thousands of jobs, direct and indirect economic benefits and community investments. I know because I have spoken with owners of restaurants, retail shops, manufacturing plants and arts and cultural centers. They’ve pivoted their business models and adapted to ever-changing rules to ensure customer safety. They are creatively doing everything they can to keep the lights on.
Gimme, gimme, gimme those government handouts!