Recovery Resources: CEO statement on masks; more on SBA loans and the plight of restaurants

A statement from the President and CEO of the Main Line Chamber
From Main Line Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Bernard Dagenais. “As new coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania continue to match high rates last attained in May, it’s vitally important that our region rally around the idea that the expectation and legal requirement for individuals to wear a mask in public is a responsibility that is part of living in a society in which many things that we do affect others. This is no more an assault on individual rights than requiring co-workers not to smoke in an office environment. Gov. Wolf’s rollback of restaurant occupancy requirements, part of a broader set of ramped-up restrictions, is devastating to a segment of our Chamber’s membership. While we lacked this information at the start of the pandemic, we now know that mask wearing significantly helps prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition to the health effects, including loss of life, this virus is decimating parts of our economy. As a representative of the business community, the Chamber urges everyone to take personal responsibility and not put business owners or others encountered in public in a position to have to police the mask issue.”


Business owners should wear masks, make sure employees and customers do too
In addition to making sure their patrons are wearing face coverings, business owners also should make sure they and their employees are wearing them, the Chester County Health Department said. Not doing so may scare off customers who are obeying the state’s order on face coverings or be seen as confirmation that following the order isn’t necessary. Brigham Young University researchers concluded that “there is now convincing evidence from multiple controlled experiments and field observations that wearing masks reduces the transmission of COVID-19 for healthcare workers and the public. Cloth masks can stop 90% or more of the dispersal of droplets carrying the virus.”


PPP loans still available, make sense for many small businesses
Small businesses that haven’t applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans have until Aug. 8 to do so. The program still has $130 billion available and the requirements for gaining authorization to not repay the loans have been relaxed, so small business owners that considered applying for PPP loans but decided against it should think again, according to business columnist Gene Marks. Marks writes that most small businesses can qualify for the loans; those that can’t their entire loan forgiven can still get part of it forgiven; and the part of a PPP loan that isn’t forgiven won’t have to be repaid for five years and carries an interest rate of only 1 percent. The Small Business Administration, which administers the PPP loan, also has low-interest loans available through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.


Brinker Simpson hosting PPP forgiveness webinar July 29
Main Line Chamber of Commerce member Brinker Simpson & Co. will host a webinar on PPP forgiveness at noon on July 29. It will feature a brief overview of how the forgiveness process works, a segment on understanding and planning for the tax impact of the forgivable amounts of PPP loans, and updates on changes to the PPP that Congress is considering. Participants can submit questions on the registration page.


Delco sees COVID-19 case rise stemming from shore visits, July 4 barbecues
Delaware County said Friday it is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, particularly among young adults and children, and that it is experiencing delays in getting tests for the coronavirus processed. Health officials said that contact tracing showed that a large percentage of infected residents contracted the virus while visiting New Jersey beaches, attending July 4 barbecues and socializing without masks. Forty percent of the new cases in the county are showing up in people under 30, and daycares and pre-schools are seeing cases rise. The county’s press release on the increase contains updated guidance for county bars and restaurants, and for events and gatherings in the county.


Two western PA senators propose COVID-19 relief program for restaurant, bar owners
Two western Pennsylvania state senators are proposing a COVID-19 grant program and financial relief package for restaurant and tavern owners, according to a report from Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 station WTAE. State Sens. Pam Iovino and Jim Brewster’s package would: seek to direct $100 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act fund to liquor license holders; increase wholesale liquor discount to 15 percent for at least nine months; waive license and permit fees on restaurants and taverns for a year; eliminate penalties for delayed sales tax payments; and eliminate the $500 off-premises catering permit during the declared state of emergency.


Best regards,