Queens lawmaker introduces legislation to assist small
business owners affected by coronavirus outbreak
Interfaith leaders stand in solidarity with Flushing community
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | MARCH 6-MARCH 12, 2020 3
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
As fears of the coronavirus
loom over the city impacting
Asian-American owned
businesses, interfaith leaders
joined in solidarity with the
Flushing community for lunch
at Dumpling Galaxy, a local
restaurant that serves more
than 100 kinds of dumplings,
noodles and other Chinese
dishes.
The lunch was organized by
the Flushing Interfaith Council
and the Greater Flushing
Chamber of Commerce at the
restaurant located in Arcadia
Mall at 42-35 Main St.
More than a dozen faith
leaders representing the Jewish,
Christian, Hindu and
Bahá’í faiths gathered to caution
New Yorkers against the
panic spreading in the wake of
the coronavirus outbreak.
For example, the leaders discussed
the images used by the
New York Times and the New
York Post to illustrate reports
of the city’s first confirmed
case of the novel coronavirus,
even though the victim
returned from a trip in Iran,
lives in Manhattan, and is not
connected with the immigrant
community in Queens.
“Flushing businesses are
already experiencing a 30 to
50 percent drop in revenue
because of the coronavirus
panic,” said Taehoon Kim, an
acupuncturist and president of
the Greater Flushing Chamber
of Commerce. “Today’s news
reports in the Times and Post
will certainly add oil to the
fire. As a business owner in
Flushing, I take this as a declaration
of economic war against
Asians in addition to blatant
racism.”
Other faith leaders who
spoke out against the New
York Times and New York Post
include: Jack Chang, a member
of the Bahá í community
of Queens and president the
Flushing Interfaith Council;
Caroline Lane, clerk of Flushing
Meeting of the Religious Society
of Friends, Ramanathan
Subramony of the Hindu Temple
Society, Souksavat Soukhaseum
of the Free Synagogue of
Flushing, Lourdes Hartick of
the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints, Sau Chau of
St. Michael’s Church.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com or
by phone at (718) 260–4526.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A Queens congresswoman
is introducing a new legislation
to assist small business owners
suffering economic harm from
the coronavirus outbreak.
Congresswoman Grace
Meng and her colleagues Rep.
Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) and
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) initiated
the “Small Business Relief from
Communicable Disease Induced
Economic Hardship Act.”
Under the legislation, small
businesses would be able to access
Economic Injury Disaster
Loans of up to $2 million to
help meet financial obligations
and operating expenses, which
would otherwise have been
met if it were not for the virus’
spread. The bill specifies that
the loans would be interest free.
Companies that are major employers
could be potentially eligible
for larger loans.
Concerns about the coronavirus
have hit many small Asian-
American owned businesses
that are severely struggling due
to misinformation and stigmatization,
according to Meng.
The Flushing Chinese Business
Association had previously
reported a 30 percent decrease
in sales and customers at Asianowned
restaurants and gift
shops. Additionally, to educate
the community and dispel rumors
of coronavirus, local elected
officials and community organizations
held press conferences
to reassure the public that New
York City is highly prepared in
the case of an outbreak.
“Small businesses are the
backbone of our economy in
Queens and throughout New
York City,” Meng said. “They
enhance our neighborhoods,
bring investment and innovation
to local communities, and
provide jobs to area residents.
Government must be a strong
partner in helping small businesses
succeed and we must not
abandon them in their time of
need. When small businesses
succeed, America succeeds!”
Economists recently lowered
the global forecasts for major
economies from 2.6 percent to
2.4 percent. Much of the recent
slowing of the economy is linked
to the coronavirus, which has
weakened demand in travel and
tourism. Besides the decline in
foot traffic for many retailers
and restaurants, particularly
those in Chinese communities,
small firms have experienced
challenges related to their supply
chains.
Companies sourcing products
and services from China
have had delays or complete
cancellations of orders, resulting
in lower profits for the company.
Besides these challenges,
small firms must start the
process of preparing their companies
for the potential to have
employees become infected and
remain home or telework. In
many instances, a small employer
may be unable to absorb
the additional workforce reductions
without a coinciding loss
in productivity.
In Chu’s district, some Asianowned
businesses are reporting
a 50 percent drop in customers,
she said.
“In New York City, before
there was even a single case of
COVID-19, some restaurants
saw as much as an 80 percent
decline in customers. We have
even seen instances of illegal,
fraudulent letters that baselessly
urge people to avoid Asianowned
businesses,” Chu said.
“These are serious losses that
can have long-lasting impacts
on our local economies.”
Velazquez added, “That
properly preparing for the
impact of the coronavirus requires
a multi-front strategy,
which includes being ready to
address the very real economic
fallout we may see. This legislation
would be a good first step
to help our small firms in New
York and around the nation who
sustain economic injury from
COVID-19.”
Under the legislation proposed by Congresswoman Grace Meng and her colleagues, small business
owners would be able to access federal loans of up to $2 million if they suffer losses related to the
coronavirus outbreak. File photo courtesy of DOT
Interfaith leaders gather for lunch at Dumpling Galaxy in Flushing on Main Street.
Photo by Angelina Sun
/QNS.COM
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