Dr. Woody Myers Releases Small Business Recovery Plan

Indiana’s presumptive Democratic nominee for Governor Dr. Woody Myers is releasing a small business recovery plan to help better protect worker lives and speed economic recovery. The plan entitled Help for Hoosier Small Businesses Amid the Coronavirus Economic Fallout is the latest installment of Myers’ Map – A New Way. 

“Since the start of the pandemic I’ve proposed Indiana take a more aggressive approach to fighting the coronavirus,” Myers said. “I was the first to call for the closure of schools, an inventory of health resources, help for working families, and more testing. I’ve laid out my vision for making Indiana a leader in building a national medical supply chain so that health care professionals never face medical supply shortages again and we aren’t dependent on foreign suppliers. 

“Preparing to reopen our economy should involve a plan to help small businesses and Hoosier workers recover,” the doctor, successful businessman and former Indiana State Health Commissioner continued. “This plan addresses that and more.”

The latest plan pledges that as Governor, Myers would: 

·         Establish a state stimulus program to infuse more money into our small businesses, including those hard-hit minority-, women- veteran-, and disability-owned businesses for payroll, operational expenses, and working capital to help bail out our biggest job creators.

·         Form a Small Business Recovery Task Force to help get Hoosier businesses back up and running and to identify and remove legislative obstacles now in their way.

·         Create a robust Buy Indiana First campaign to encourage Hoosiers to buy from Indiana small businesses.

·         Establish an incentive program to support Hoosier manufacturers producing protective medical equipment for Indiana medical professionals and first-responders.

·         Delegate small business navigators to help small business owners, and in particular those in our minority communities, sort through loan and grant programs and apply for financial assistance.

·         Create a state subsidized meals program to make meals for Hoosier homebound seniors prepared by local restaurants and to the fullest extent possible using food grown by Hoosier farmers to support our restaurant industry, create jobs, and generate sales tax revenue for local governments, while also providing an important public service.

·         Exclude small businesses, with fewer than 100 employees, from obligations to pay higher unemployment insurance premium rates for at least one year.

“Although Governor Holcomb acknowledges small businesses are our economic drivers, he’s done little if anything to help them survive social distancing measures and forced closures other than informing them they’re eligible for federal assistance.

“Hoosiers are strong and we’ll rise above the health and economic crises even stronger if we act now on a comprehensive recovery plan,” said Myers. “It will take vision and creativity and, most importantly, strong leadership.”