Waiting for relief

More relief will soon be available for Vermont businesses after lawmakers recently passed a bill including $93 million in federal CARES Act money. That bill provides mostly grants to which business owners will have to apply, and lawmakers say more is on the way this week. 

That action comes after a $400 million business relief package proposed by Gov. Phil Scott last month, to help businesses during the pandemic. All funds would come from the $1.2 billion in federal aid Vermont received earlier in the spring. 

House Speaker Mitzi Johnson told Vermont Public Radio on Tuesday that more of the CARES Act money will be approved soon. 

"We'll have $1 billion dollars either allocated, already voted on, or on its way out the door in just a couple of days," Johnson said on VPR.

The Legislature's efforts are designed to get the funds out to the most severely impacted businesses first, while also fixing some issues with the governor's proposal. Lawmakers have said some of the proposed uses of the relief funds were not allowable under federal restrictions. 

Those words, however, may not be enough for a business owner who expected approval of the governor's full proposal far sooner than this. With businesses facing looming hurdles to survival, the pressure intensifies on policy-makers and calls for help increase. As the Legislature prepares to approve more funds, let's hope the collaborative approach to resolving these issues continues. Together is always the best way. 

— Gareth Henderson