State of Office of Lieutenant Daniel J. McKee

November 17, 2020

The Honorable Gina M. Raimondo Governor of 82 Smith Street, Providence, RI

Dear Governor Raimondo:

Enclosed is a letter from the Rhode Island Small Business Coalition to members of the Rhode Island General Assembly requesting support and collaboration with your administration on behalf of the small business community. My office has worked closely with the coalition to advocate for small businesses throughout this pandemic and I would like to bring their latest requests to your attention.

As Chair of Rhode Island’s Small Business Advocacy Council, I strongly support the proposals outlined in the coalition’s letter, including immediately allocating an additional $75M in CARES Act funds to the Restore RI grant program and adding another $75M if small businesses are ordered to shut down to stop the spread of the virus.

If we truly want to help small businesses in a meaningful way, we must act quickly to disburse remaining grant dollars and provide additional relief before the CARES Act funds expire on December 30, 2020. With new projections showing a significant reduction in the state budget deficit from $900M down to just $114M, allocating additional funds to small businesses is a reasonable and responsible thing to do.

I urge your administration to help small businesses survive and deal with the prospect of more challenging times ahead. Should your team need support from my office, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. McKee Lieutenant Governor

CC: Rhode Island Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor

November 17, 2020

DearNovember Members 17, 2020 of the Rhode Island General Assembly:

TheDear Rhode Members Island of Smallthe Rhode Business Island Coalition General urges Assembly: you to step up and represent the small businesses in the communities you have been elected to serve. The General Assembly can and should start playing a significantThe Rhode roleIsland in Smallhelping Business small businesses Coalition urges navigate you tothis step pandemic up and andrepresent provid theing smallmuch businesses-needed check in thes andcommunities balances youwith have the Governorbeen elected regarding to serve. a transparent The General allocation Assembly ofcan the and states should B start playingin CARES a Act Funsignificantds. role in helping small businesses navigate this pandemic and providing much-needed checks and balances with the Governor regarding a transparent allocation of the state’s $1.25B in CARES Act AsFunds. a grassroots coalition of thousands of local businesses from dozens of different industries, we strongly believe that our voices should be heard. The General Assembly must act swiftly and decisively toAs keepa grassroots our small coalition business of thousandscommunity of alive local as businesses the pandemic from rages dozens on. of This different second industries, wave of thewe virus maystrongly result bel inieve a lockdown that our voices, which should our small be heard. businesses The General do not haveAssembly the cash must flow act swiftlyto survive. and decisivelyTogether, we areto keep putting our forthsmall abusiness list of urgent community requests alive for as you, the ourpandemic elected rages leaders on. inThis the second legislative wave branch: of the virus may result in a lockdown, which our small businesses do not have the cash flow to survive. Together, we are putting Hold forth Governor a list of Raim urgentondo’s requests administration for you, our accountable elected leaders and in promote the legislative transparency branch: o Call for a weekly report on where the COVID-19 cases are coming from (specific business • Hold Governorindustries, Raimondo’s schools, administrationsocial gatherings, accountable etc.) and promote transparency oo CallCall for for a a weekly weekly report report on on where CARES the Act COVID fund -allocation19 cases are (allocated coming fromand real (specific spend) business industries, schools, social gatherings, etc.) Supporto Call the for immediate a weekly report allocat onion CARES of $75M Act infund CARES allocation Act funds (allocated to the and Restore real spend) RI Grant Program • Supporto Thisthe immediate should be usedallocation to provide of $75M additional in CARES rounds Act funds of grants to the to Restoreprevious RI recipients Grant Program o Thisthrough should a simplifiedbe used to application provide additional and to provide rounds grantsof grants to tobusinesses previous thatrecipients haven throught applied a simplified application and to provide grants those who have not applied Support the allocation of an additional $75M in CARES Act Funds to the Restore RI grant • Supportprogram the if business allocation lockdown of an additional goes into $75M effect in CARES Act Funds to the Restore RI grant programo Increase if business the lockdown individual goes grant into amount effect by basing the amount on fixed expenses (rent, o Increaseinsurance, the utilities, individual etc.) grant in addition amount toby numberbasing the of amountemployees on fixed expenses (rent, o insurance,The program utilities, should etc.) be in open addition to all to small number businesses of employees under 100 employees, regardless of o Theindustry grant should be open to all businesses under 100 employees, regardless of industry

These actions must bbee takentaken byby thethe endend of of November November as as time time is is running running out out to to spend spend the the CARES CARES Act Act funds before the DecemberDecember 30,30, 20202020 deadline. deadline. Our Our economy economy will will be be forever forever changed changed if ifsmall small businesses businesses do not survive this pandemic.pandemic. WeWe needneed our our elected elected leaders leaders to to do do their their part part and and ensure ensure this this does does not not happen. We thank youyou forfor youryour considerationconsideration and and look look forward forward to to hearing hearing from from you. you .

Sincerely,

Chris ParisiParisi, Co-Founder of RI Small Business Coalition Co-Founder, RI Small Business Coalition