8 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 31, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Small biz owners say stimulus package is not enough
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
aacevedo@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
President Donald Trump fi nally
signed the much awaited and
disputed COVID-19 stimulus
package before the Monday,
Dec. 28, deadline, but small business
owners in Queens aren’t as
enthusiastic this time around.
The $900 billion stimulus
package, a 5,000-page legislation
that has been in negotiations
for months, has many
measures including relief checks,
unemployment benefi ts, an evictions
moratorium extension and
$284 billion for the Paycheck
Protection Program (PPP)’s
“Second Draw.”
“Th e small business owners
I’m in touch with have this sense
that it’s too little, way, way, way
too late,” said Jaime-Faye Bean,
executive director of Sunnyside
Shines Business Improvement
District. “I have places that are
closing as of Dec. 31. If they had
access to several rounds of PPP
or other aid, the outcome may
have been diff erent.”
For months, small businesses
in Queens have called for help in
the form of grants, tax breaks and
rent relief in order to survive the
pandemic. With a second wave
already underway in New York
City and restrictions imposed by
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, such as an
indefi nite stop to indoor dining,
some businesses feel they’re running
out of time.
“I’m thankful it passed, I think
all businesses are happy about it,”
said Roseann McSorley, co-owner
of Katch Astoria and leader
of Sen. Michael Gianaris’ western
Queens business committee.
“But there’s a small business
crisis right now. Even though it
passed, it’s going to take a while
to get it.”
It may take the administration
a few weeks to begin distributing
the aid, but some are hopeful
that the trial and errors of the
PPP program from months past
will make for a smoother rollout.
However, McSorley was disappointed
that the Restaurants
Act, a bipartisan bill that would
provide $120 billion in grants
to small bars and restaurants to
make up for lost revenue due to
the pandemic, wasn’t in the stimulus
package.
Th omas Grech, the president
of the Queens Chamber
of Commerce said about 1,000
out of nearly 6,000 restaurants
in the borough have permanently
closed since March. He anticipates
even more restaurants will
close aft er the holidays, a time
when eateries would normally
make most of their profi t.
“It’s completely unacceptable,
and unbelievably does not
include the Restaurants Act.
While I understand provisions
of legislation include funds for
PPP loans, the Restaurants Act,
a bipartisan piece of legislation
off ered direct grants — not loans
— to restaurants. We expect further
closings and displacement
of many of Queens beloved food
institutions.”
In terms of retail, Grech
believes it’ll continue to see challenges
with lockdowns, but may
receive help from the PPP.
Bean, who noted the retail
industry was already experiencing
hard times before the pandemic,
has seen some of the few
local retailers in western Queens
have a relatively good year due to
the recent months’ push to shop
small and local.
“It’s been a mixed bag,” said
Bean. “Th e problem is not all
retail is trendy. We need the government
to help those that don’t
fi t that way but the neighborhood
still needs.”
The administration made
some updates to the PPP program,
aft er months of advocacy
from small business owners,
such as a maximum loan
amount of $2 million (down
from $10 million) for companies
that employ less than 300 people
(down from 500 people), according
to Forbes.
Eligible businesses still must
spend 60 percent of their loan on
payroll, and 40 percent on other
expenses. While the original PPP
was mainly intended for payroll
and in some cases rent, the new
version allows for the other portion
to be used on other expenses,
such as personal protective
equipment.
Th e loans are tax exempt and
businesses may also apply for
loan forgiveness if compliant
with guidelines.
But Shawn Dixon, owner of
Otis and Finn Barbershop with
locations in Long Island City and
Greenpoint, said business owners’
“hands are tied” due to the
60 percent restriction on payroll.
“New York City is diff erent
from other places in that rent is
our biggest cost. I understand
the fi rst time around was to keep
unemployment rates low, but it
made it more diffi cult to keep
our workers,” said Dixon. “As
business owners, our fi rst priority
is the people who work for us,
but if you’re going to give people
this money they can’t use on
other expenses, it doesn’t make
sense. We want to help them but
we need to make money and pay
our bills.”
He added that it’s diffi cult to
follow guidelines that are, essentially,
still being written and
revised. Dixon, who noted several
of his competitors have already
shut down for good, believes that
what businesses really need is
rent relief.
“Th e only real way out for
everybody, small businesses
and tenants, is rent relief,” said
Dixon. “It’s the last thing politicians
want to do but it’s what
we need.”
Th e stimulus package also
includes $15 billion for live venues,
independent movie theaters
and cultural institutions,
through the Save Our Stages Act.
Kambri Crews, founder of
Q.E.D. in Astoria, said that
while she’s grateful the stimulus
includes Save Our Stages,
she’s jaded about the process and
unsure whether it’ll make a signifi
cant enough diff erence for
her performance venue.
“If we don’t get it, I don’t think
we could stay open. I’m out of
money,” said Crews, who opened
Q.E.D. six years ago. “Q.E.D. had
a fl ush bank account, zero debt,
and now that’s all wiped out.
I used my life savings to open
Q.E.D.; I don’t want to go into
more debt.”
Cultural institutions in NYC
have been closed and making
zero revenue for nine months,
with no opening date in sight.
Some have gotten creative with
virtual entertainment or relied
on donations, but, unlike restaurants,
aren’t allowed to host ticketed
events outdoors yet.
As a result, beloved places like
Th e Creek and Th e Cave in Long
Island City have permanently
shuttered.
Dorothy Stepnowska, owner
of Flower Power Coff ee House
and president of the Glendale
Chamber of Commerce, said
that more of these resources
need to be accessible to immigrants
and those whose fi rst language
isn’t English.
“I think cities should have
reps contacting small businesses
and educating them about this
money. You have a lot of immigrants
that have no clue what’s
going on,” said Stepnowska, adding
that Chambers of Commerce
do help but more outreach is
needed. “Lots of immigrants
don’t have access to this or know
how to fi nd it. It’s nice to see,
but I think there should be more
people going out there and talking
to them.”
Stepnowska said immigrant
businesses already struggled
to keep up with state and city
guidelines, and this unprecedented
time adds to those challenges.
“People want to work, though;
they don’t want aid,” Stepnowska
added. “But we can’t work if
everything is closed.”
Tamykah Anthony, an Astoria
small business owner, isn’t sure
she qualifi es for this round of PPP
or the Economic Injury Disaster
Loan (EIDL). She received an
EIDL months ago that somewhat
helped, she said, but has found
it diffi cult to use toward her different
business endeavors due to
the uncertain times.
“It’s a scary time for business
owners,” she said.
Photo via Getty Images
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