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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope you are all staying safe and healthy! I’ve enjoyed seeing the first signs of spring in a much more nuanced way this year on my daily walk with our dog. When I’m at the Capitol, my parents take care of our dog and I rarely get a walk in, so I am appreciating the increasing bursts of green, returning birds, and other hopeful signs of better days ahead!
Our first responders and medical professionals are doing such an amazing job being on the front-lines against COVID-19, but they are not alone. Everyone in the supply chain is working to keep essential goods on shelves and our small business owners are doing amazing, innovative things to keep us going. Teachers, school administrators, childcare providers, caregivers, non-profit leaders and volunteers are all also doing incredible work to help our communities during this time. Thank you!!
Thank you especially to everyone who is staying home to help mitigate the spread of this disease. We will get through this together and we will get through it faster if we all do our part!
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Executive Summary
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NEW Cash Loan Advance from the SBA for up to $10,000 – every small business owner should apply for this FIRST and ASAP. Here’s the link – details below.
- New State COVID-19 Dashboard for the most up-to-date information: https://mn.gov/covid19/
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State hotline for reporting on neighbors violating the Stay-at-Home Order: Although I am largely supportive of Governor Walz’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, I disagree with his creation of a state hotline and encouragement to citizens to report on neighbors who they think are violating the Stay-At-Home order. Governor Walz defends this program as necessary to keep 911 calls focused on emergency situations. I believe it is an unnecessary and dangerous precedent to ask neighbors to turn each other in to the state during an emergency. I sent the Governor a letter this week asking him to eliminate this program. If this had been done at the federal level, there would have been a swift and severe outcry about such an authoritarian use of executive power.
Small Business Resources
Over the past few weeks, several state and federal programs have been built to assist small businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you have issues with your application, or questions about whether your business is eligible for a program, please contact DEED using the resources available on their website for the fastest and most accurate answers. In addition, programs passed by the federal government may not yet be available — please keep checking the federal program websites for updates.
Different programs make sense for different businesses, so DEED is providing this summary guide to help small businesses quickly see which programs might be right for their situation.
These include:
- SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) – all Minnesota small businesses should apply for these!
- Low interest, long term Economic Injury Disaster Loans for up to $2 million: The first payment is deferred for 12 months. The application has been simplified and can be completed 100% online through our improved web portal at https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19
- These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75% and the loans can be extended over 30 years.
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SBA EIDL LOAN ADVANCE of $10,000 – this is a cash-advance of up to $10,000 on loan discussed above.
- Small business owners in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000.
- This advance will provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. Funds will be made available within three days of a successful application. This loan advance will not have to be repaid.
- EVERY Minnesota Small Business should apply for this first!
- Apply for the Loan Advance here.
- SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
- The SBA PPP is a new federal $350 billion loan program at SBA for small businesses, self-employed people, and gig workers to help them from going under due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If employers maintain payroll, the loans would be forgiven.
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program
- Congress authorized a new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program that covers those who do not qualify for regular Unemployment Insurance benefits, such as independent contractors and self-employed people. The program was authorized but must be created by the states, so Minnesota must build out this program before it can be implemented. More information will be available soon, however it could be several weeks before payments begin.
- Minnesota Small Business Emergency Loan Program
- Minnesota Small Business Emergency Loans are made through an approved lender – you can find FAQs, application materials and lenders on the DEED website. These loans are for $2,500 to $35,000, at a 0% interest rate and are 50% forgivable. There is a total of $30 million available for this program.
- Minnesota Small Business Loan Guarantee Program
- This program provides an 80% loan guarantee for loans up to $250,000 made by a qualified economic development lender within this program. Details for business are not yet on DEED’s website but DEED and agency partners are reaching out to lenders to make them aware of this new program – look for more details soon. This program is intended to incent the private market to make loans to small businesses and provides the guarantee for those loan dollars. The state is providing a loan guarantee of $10 million which is likely to leverage between $20 and $25 million in lending by private banks.
- Unemployment Insurance Shared Work Program
- The Shared Work Program offers an alternative to layoffs for employers facing a temporary downturn in business. Administered by DEED’s Unemployment Insurance Division, the program allows employers to divide available hours of work among a group of employees instead of implementing a full layoff. These employees may then receive partial unemployment insurance benefits while working reduced hours. The purpose of Shared Work is to avoid a layoff, not to subsidize wages.
For more information on any of these programs, visit the DEED website here.
 CARES Act: Federal Coronavirus Relief
The $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act approved by Congress and signed by the President last week is the largest and most far-reaching effort yet to get needed resources to states and to try to blunt the economic impact of the response to the pandemic for millions of individuals and businesses around the country.
A detailed summary of the various aspects of the CARES Act is available here. And the US Chamber has also put together a helpful guide for small businesses.
Help for Self Employed
I've received so many questions from those who are self-employed. We are starting to get some answers.
Benefits and relief programs are being made available to these individuals for the first time through Minnesota's Unemployment Insurance Program, however that program still needs to be set up through the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
DEED is working with the federal government to make these benefits available as quickly as possible, and we will be sure to send along information as soon as it becomes available, here’s a guide that will help you through the process when it does: mnhouse.gop/2w1xgRs
I continue to work on innovative ways to get help to small businesses and families.
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I am working on a grant program for small businesses that I hope will be considered when we reconvene on April 14th.
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I am also supporting efforts to postpone federal and state tax payments for small businesses that are due on April 15th (income taxes) and May 15th (property taxes). The federal government has postpone business tax payments until July 15th, but the state has only postponed tax payments for individuals until July 15th.Small businesses need the cashflow to stay afloat and we should conform to the federal date as soon as possible.
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Rent and Mortgage Payments
Both the state of Minnesota and the federal CARES Act provide relief to renters and homeowners.
The CARES Act prohibits foreclosures on any federally backed mortgages for 60-days and allows borrowers affected by COVID-19 to shift any missed payments to the end of their mortgage, with no added penalties or interest, for 180 days. It also halts evictions for renters in properties with federally backed mortgages for 120 days.
Governor Walz's executive order 20-14 suspends evictions during the declared peacetime emergency. However, it explicitly states “Nothing in this Executive Order relieves a tenant’s obligation to pay rent.”
Census Time!
April 1st was Census Day! The census is taken every 10 years and making sure every Minnesotan is counted is more important than ever!
The census will be mailed mid-April but you can respond online by visiting my2020Census.gov or calling 844-330-2020.
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State of the State
Governor Walz will announce that he will deliver his second State of the State Address on Sunday, April 5, 2020, beginning at 7:00pm. The address will be delivered live from the Governor’s Residence. I will plan on streaming it on my Facebook Page.
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Photos
Rep. Robbins donating blood at Memorial Blood Centers in Plymouth! IF you are healthy and able to donate, it is safe, doesn’t take long and is an easy way to help our communities!
Rep. Robbins on one of many conference calls while working from home.
Fantastic take-out from Pizza Karma in Maple Grove! AND they have hand-washing station before you pick up your food!
Beautiful sunset in Maple Grove!
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Please Contact Me
I know this is a lot to digest! I hope these emails help you navigate all of the information we are ALL trying to process. As always, I am working hard every day to address specific concerns individuals raise and I will try to help you in any way I can.
Please continue to contact me to discuss any matters to which I can be of assistance. My office phone number is 651-296-7806 or by email at rep.kristin.robbins@house.mn.
I hope you and your families stay well! Try to get outside, listen to music, play games and take a break from the news. The 24/7 news cycle is not good for any of us! Here’s a fun song I heard this week that speaks to that point – I hope you enjoy it! J Luke Nelson – Turn Off the News and Start a Garden
Stay safe!
Kristin
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225 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.7806 |
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