Florida small businesses urge Congress to quickly pass covid funding

January 29, 2021

Florida’s Congressional Delegation 

Washington D.C. 

Dear Senators and Representatives, 

As small business owners across Florida, we are urging you to support passing legislation immediately that will provide financial assistance to businesses struggling during the pandemic, fund necessary testing infrastructure, and boost the production and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Our state’s economy is in crisis, and more people are dying from COVID19 every day. 

Many small businesses face a continued slump in revenue, and many are hanging on by a thread. As the virus rages on, more restrictions may be necessary to curb the spread of the virus, and businesses need financial assistance to weather the storm. 

Economists have made clear that in the long term, the only way to save lives and fully repair the economy is to get the virus under control.

Health experts agree that widespread testing is one of the most effective ways to reign in the virus, but our state is falling far short of the testing levels we’d need to effectively suppress the virus. According to the Brown University School of Public Health and Harvard Global Health Institute, Florida needs to do nearly 6 times more testing than it’s doing now. Federal assistance to states for purchasing testing supplies and coordinating testing infrastructure is key to hitting the appropriate testing levels as quickly as possible. 

Masks, gloves, and other kinds of PPE are still in short supply, and we know wearing masks is one of the most effective ways to slow transmission of the virus. These shortages could get worse as the virus spreads across the country. We need the federal government to boost the production of PPE through the Defense Production Act, and to coordinate distribution of those materials in a transparent way. 

For the sake of our lives and our livelihoods, please support passing legislation immediately that will: 

• Provide financial assistance to small businesses to bolster their current standing and allow them to weather any future virus related restrictions;

• Invest at least $50 billion for producing COVID19 tests and relevant testing infrastructure. That additional funding, plus the resources provided in the last covid package, will give the level of support public health experts deem necessary for a robust testing response;

• Provide necessary funding to boost PPE production through the Defense Production Act, and establish a system for transparent distribution of those materials.

Without swift action, more Florida businesses will close their doors for good, and more lives will be lost unnecessarily to this deadly virus. 

Sincerely, 

Tampa Bay Black Chamber of Commerce, Inc., Willis Bowick, Tampa

Greater Gainesville Chamber, Eric Godet, Gainesville

Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce, Liliana Taylor, Boca Grande

Daytona Regional Chamber, Jim Cameron, Daytona Beach

Holly Hill Chamber of Commerce, Samantha Crouch, Holly Hill

Greater Palm Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce, Dean Maratea, Palm Harbor

Lady Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Leslie DiCesare, Lady Lake

Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, Melonie Monson, Zephyrhills

Moxies Cafe, R Carr, Tampa

COSMIC CAT COMICS, Ned Stacey, Tallahassee

Lüfka Refillables Zero Waste Store, Kelly Hawaii, Tampa

theROSTICKgroup/TRG STUDIO, Robert Rostick, Tampa

Phaze One Skate Shop, Orlando Vazquez, Tallahassee

Pezz Photo, Amy Pezzicara, Tampa

McGuire’s Barbershop LLC, Morris Hensley, Dunedin

Hilly Fields Florist & Gifts, Janet B. Davis, Tallahassee

Cellars International Realty, llc, Immacula Paul, North Miami Beach

LCN Group Inc, Leighton Brown, Miami

Aztec South, Inc., Nora Porobic, Miami

Nattacha Financial Services, Nattacha Jocelyn, Miami

ADVANCE ELECTRIC, INC., Ernie Rodriguez, Miami

Montecarlo Services, Inc., Leticia Montero Rodriguez, Miami

Blue Digital Corp, Wayne Barclay, Miami

Potential Difference Inc, Stephen Iverson, Miami

Premier Printing Solutions Inc., Stephen Rothenberg, Cooper City

Atlas Concrete & Pavement Inc, Peter Rijos, Homestead

Park Ave CDs, Josiah Wess, Orlando

Access Nursecare, Inc, Audreya McLean, Hollywood

Big Rons Tree Service, Ronald von Paulus, Miami

Energy Care Technologies LLC, Elias Ray, Doral

Mix’d Greens, Inc., Mick Gnaegy, Homestead

INNOVAE GROUP, LLC, Renata DeWeert, Miami

Hydrorider, Millie Gutierrez, Miami

Miami mini riders transportation, Gina Delice, Miami Lakes

Ebenbach Consulting LLC, Karla Ebenbach, Coral Gables

Reyichi, Ashelle Rey, Orlando

Chavez South Florida Interiors Inc., Yanira Cerda, Miami

Mark Products USA, Dan Petrovic, Coral Gables

Demolition Masters Inc, Adonay Almeida, Coral Gables

SKALS LLC, Sergio Canepa, Miami Lakes

SDDJ CORPORATION, Saul Duarte, Miami

HXECUTE, Christine Cooper, Miami

Staff Squad, Inc, Heather Read, Miami

Us Intermed Corp, Juan Masson, South Miami

Sonny’s Total Landscaping, Robert Clarington, Miami

Valdivia Welding Services LLC, Carlos Valdivia, Miami

Mahogany Alliance Inc., Arthur Wright, Miami

Deli Fresh Threads, Anthony Bencomo, Orlando

RCS Group of Florida/ EMS Covid-19, Elizabeth Mesegue, Miami

virtualdeveloper.com, llc, Cecil John, Miami

A 2nd Chance Party Rental d/b/a Genair Event of So, Gilbert Velilla, Miami

Aeroservicios USA, Inc, Gabriel Serrano, Miami

C.L. Johnson Consulting, P.A., C.L. Johnson, Miami Lakes

DTW1, LLC d/b/a Defy Therapy & Wellness, Kelsey Zamoyski, Miami

Randazzo Catering, Frank Randazzo, Miami

Two Lions Winery & Palm Harbor Brewery, Rosetta Post, Palm Harbor

JKARE, Karen Alba, Homestead

JKARE, Stefany Garcia, Miami

Knight Property Management Service, Inc., Alberto Rabadan, Mangonia Park

Coakley Mechanical Inc, Dearrington Coakley, Miami

LEE Construction Group, Inc., Irene Amaro, Doral

WRIGHT WORLDWIDE INC, James Wright, Miami Gardens

Mechanical Refrigeration Services, Inc., Alvin Ordonez, Miami

Wroy Professional Consulting, LLC, Myrtha Wroy, Miami Shores

Pineapple ARTS Management, Jeannette Pina, Fort Lauderdale

UniteUs Group, Andrew Martineau, Fort Lauderdale

PE Engineering, Jorge Maspons, Miami

South Dade Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Inc. d/b/a SDAC, Paul Morrow, Naranja

Art Fort Lauderdale, Andrew Martineau, Fort Lauderdale

TEICON GROUP INC, Juan Barradas, Miami

Peoples Transportation Corporation, Marquis Peoples, Miami

Caribbean Today NewsMagazine, Peter Webley, Miami

Instant Ancestors, Inc., Charlotte Thompson, Kissimmee

Smith’s Picture Framing, S Sedlis, Fort Lauderdale

Bianca Valentim Photography, Bianca Valentim Thomas, Coral Springs

Maui Nix Inc., George Karamitos, Daytona Beach

DGMonson Adjusting, Dennis Monson, Zephyrhills

Pirate Fashions LLC, Tiger Lee, Tampa

My Shade & Texture, Pam Thompson, Tampa

You Do the Dishes, Cindy Kozlowski, Tampa

You Do the Dishes, Josephine Brown, Tampa