Friends and neighbors,
The Minnesota Senate today overwhelmingly approved a $216 million emergency relief bill to help small businesses affected by Gov. Tim Walz’s most recent executive order. The goal of the relief package is speed: businesses are struggling under the weight of the governor’s restrictions, and need assistance as fast as possible. Under the agreement, the first relief checks could be mailed by the end of the month. The bill is the culmination of more than a month of bipartisan negotiations between the House, Senate, and governor’s office.
I get calls every day from small business owners, asking for any help they can get. I wish the governor would have chosen a course of action that allowed these businesses to continue operating as normally as possible with strict safety measures in place, like big box stores are. But since he chose to close them down, this relief is a critical bridge to help them survive the next few months.
The bill provides emergency assistance in three tiers:
- Direct relief payments: $88 million is allocated for businesses in industries that were directly impacted by the executive order, including bars, restaurants, and gyms. These businesses will receive a check mailed directly to them, with no need to apply. Assistance will be broken down as follows:
- Businesses that are down 30% in revenue and have 0-20 employees will receive a $15k check
- Businesses with 21-100 employees will receive $25k
- Businesses with 101-300 employees will receive $35k
- Business with more than 300 employees will receive $45k
- Business grants: $14 million is approved for business relief grants available through DEED. These grants are aimed at businesses like movie theaters and convention centers.
- County-distributed relief: $114.8 million in relief grants will be distributed to counties based on a per capita formula. Counties will then allocate that money to businesses that were directly or indirectly impacted by the executive order. Counties will have wide latitude, but funding must be distributed by March 15.
All relief funds must be used to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility bills, and other similar expenses that occur in the regular course of business.
The bill also extends existing unemployment insurance benefits for an additional 13 weeks.
On Monday, I also voted once again to end the governor’s emergency powers. At the beginning of the outbreak, emergency powers were necessary to prepare Minnesota for a pandemic outbreak we knew nothing about. But he has used those powers to arbitrarily exercise control over the state and our economy, choosing which businesses must close and which must open; choosing which activities you can participate in and which you can’t; even choosing how many family members you can have over at your house. The founders never intended for one man to have so much control. It is time for him to give up his powers and begin working with the legislature on how best to manage the state’s response to the pandemic.
If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to me any time at sen.mary.kiffmeyer@senate.mn.
It is a privilege to serve as your state Senator!
Sincerely,