Full text: Mayor Eric Johnson's statement for the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Economic Recovery and Assistance
DALLAS — Below is the text of a statement from Mayor Eric Johnson for the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Economic Recovery and Assistance teleconference meeting this afternoon. Co-Chair Casey Thomas read the statement aloud at the meeting.
"Chairman Thomas: I want to thank you for calling this meeting today.
"When I made the decision to temporarily shut down the city’s bars and dine-in restaurants, I understood our working class population would face short-term economic hardships.
"Further orders from the county since then have meant that additional economic difficulties lie ahead.
"The fallout from COVID-19’s spread will require us to respond expeditiously to help those most affected and to lay the groundwork for our complete recovery from this pandemic.
"The work of the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Economic Recovery and Assistance will be vital to our City in the weeks and months ahead. I have assigned to this committee two important tasks: 1) mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on businesses and workers in the City of Dallas, and 2) minimize the negative impact of COVID-19 on the city’s tax revenue and budget.
"I expect that we will have no easy policy choices as we battle this disease, but we need to take actions soon to help us move forward.
"Dallas is the economic engine of the country’s fourth-largest metropolitan area. We have built a city that has experienced tremendous growth in recent years and has attracted major employers from across the world. We are home to 10 Fortune 500 companies, thriving small businesses, incredible attractions, the best dining scene in the country, and world-class assets such as our two major airports.
"Our economic recovery is not only important to the people and businesses in Dallas, but also to the global economy.
"The stakes of the work ahead of you are high, but I know this committee is capable of producing ideas that will help Dallas bounce back even stronger than before.
"Thank you for your time, and I look forward to seeing your work."
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