Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, creating jobs, generating tax revenue and providing valuable services. They have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic and need our support now more than ever before. To that end, New York City Councilman Mark Gjonaj, chair of the Committee on Small Business, has laid out a wide range of steps that the federal, state, and city governments must take in order to save our beloved small businesses.
Specifically, the city, the state, and the federal government must delay the payments of:
- business income tax
- sales tax
- payroll tax
- real estate tax (including BID and commercial tax assessments)
- metered water and sewage charges
- workers’ compensation and disability insurance
The city, the state, and the federal government must negotiate with:
- utility companies to delay payments
- banks to delay payments on mortgages and loans
- insurance companies to ensure they honor business interruption claims
- landlords to be flexible with their tenants regarding rent payments
Lastly to:
- suspend “Fair Workweek Law” predictive scheduling requirements for employers in NYC
- convene a task force of independently owned small businesses, government agencies, and elected officials to be proactive in examining the needs and response to small business
Hopefully, the federal government can get its act together and pass a relief package that puts money in the hands of small business owners and employees, but these measures, along with the recommendations of the Five-Borough Chamber Alliance will ensure that small businesses have the cash reserves to stay afloat.
Please help Councilman Gjonaj’s efforts to save small businesses in New York by signing and sharing his petition.
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