Building upon a letter penned by state Reps. Padma Kuppa (D-Troy), Jim Ellison (D-Royal Oak), Robert Wittenberg (D-Huntington Woods) and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) to U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI), Kuppa introduced House Resolution 353 this week to urge the U.S. Congress to collaborate with states and devise a national strategy that assists small businesses and local governments with the immense challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Without further action at the federal level, our small businesses — the hearts of our communities — will continue to face an uphill battle as this unprecedented year comes to a close,” said Kuppa. “Too many of Michigan’s small businesses have been forced to close their doors for good due to circumstances out of their control; we literally cannot afford to delay action any longer. I join many of my colleagues in calling on our federal leaders to step up, just like the small business owners and employees have for our communities.”
Kuppa’s resolution also recognizes the fiscal stress local units of government have been put under during the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by the dramatic decrease in revenues from local taxes, a decline in state revenue sharing, and original limitations of available CARES Act direct aid for municipalities with less than 500,000 residents.