Chambers Urge Equitable Open to Governor Walz
May 5, 2020
Dear Governor Waltz:
Small businesses are the economic fuel of our state’s future. Nearly half of Minnesotans own or work for a small business and create two out of every three new jobs each year. On behalf of hundreds of thousands of small businesses and more than 70 local chambers of commerce across Minnesota, we urge you to consider a more rapid and equitable approach to safely open businesses of all sizes.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the business community has shared your concerns for the importance of balancing health and economic impacts. Businesses that have remained open throughout this crisis and those who are preparing to reopen and are taking steps to protect employee and customer health.
Small businesses are subject to financial and operating challenges that many of their larger counterparts are not.
Small businesses are innovative, nimble and adaptable. The sooner they are given a chance to fully reopen, the sooner they can start implementing their workplace practices and preparedness plans. And the more equity that is given to who is deemed “essential” will help them survive and compete in their communities. We believe all businesses are essential. We know you do too.
Easing Minnesota’s stay-at-home order for retailers was a step in the right direction. However, DEED Commission Steve Grove acknowledged last week that small businesses have borne a disproportionate amount of the economic burden. Businesses throughout the state are preparing to fully return to work and taking steps to do so responsibly and expeditiously. We urge you to continue to recognize that businesses can and have designed plans for safe work environments and allow more businesses to fully return to work.
As chambers of commerce, we stand ready to help ensure our members are prepared to open – that they have instituted health and safety protocols for their workers and customers and have a preparedness plan in place. We are confident in their ability to do the right thing and are working with them, each and every day to understand and employ best practices. In fact, we believe if allowed, will do it equally as well as their larger counterparts.
It’s time to get Minnesota moving again, in the safest way possible for employees and customers, while protecting businesses of all size. Minnesota’s long-term economic future is counting on it.
LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN SUPPORT OF SAFELY OPENING SMALL BUSINESSES
Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce
Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce
Austin Area Chamber of Commerce
Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce
Big Lake Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Blooming Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce
Brainerd Lakes Chamber
Buffalo Area Chamber of Commerce
Burnsville Chamber of Commerce
Cannon Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce
Crookston Area Chamber of Commerce
Cuyuna Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce
Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce
Edina Chamber of Commerce
Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce
Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce
Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Forest Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Greater Mankato Growth, Inc.
Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce
Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce
Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau
Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce
Hibbing Area Chamber of Commerce
Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism
International Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce
La Crescent Chamber of Commerce
Lake City Chamber of Commerce
Lakeville Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB
Laurentian Chamber of Commerce
Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Litchfield Chamber of Commerce
Long Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce
Lonsdale Area Chamber of Commerce
Madelia Area Chamber of Commerce
Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce
Melrose Area Chamber of Commerce
MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Moose Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Mountain Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
New Prague Chamber of Commerce
Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Park Rapids Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Pipestone Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB
Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce
Red Wing Area Chamber of Commerce
Redwood Area Chamber & Tourism
River Heights Chamber of Commerce
Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce
Sauk Centre Area Chamber of Commerce
Shakopee Chamber & Visitors Bureau
Sleepy Eye Area Chamber of Commerce
SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce
Springfield Chamber of Commerce
St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber Grand Forks & East Grand Forks
Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce
Twin Cities North Chamber
TwinWest Chamber of Commerce
Waconia Chamber of Commerce
Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce
White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce
Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Windom Area Chamber of Commerce
Winona Area Chamber of Commerce
Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce
cc: Senator Paul Gazelka
Senator Susan Kent
Speaker Melissa Hortman
Representative Daudt
Dear Governor Waltz:
Small businesses are the economic fuel of our state’s future. Nearly half of Minnesotans own or work for a small business and create two out of every three new jobs each year. On behalf of hundreds of thousands of small businesses and more than 70 local chambers of commerce across Minnesota, we urge you to consider a more rapid and equitable approach to safely open businesses of all sizes.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the business community has shared your concerns for the importance of balancing health and economic impacts. Businesses that have remained open throughout this crisis and those who are preparing to reopen and are taking steps to protect employee and customer health.
Small businesses are subject to financial and operating challenges that many of their larger counterparts are not.
- While many large companies or chain stores offer a mix of products, smaller, main street stores specialize in fewer types of similar products. For example, a community’s flower shop may sell plants and arrangements, but the grocery store in the same community sells those items in addition to food.
- While many large companies may already offer online ordering or curbside delivery, small, main street stores will have to adjust their business operations to accommodate customers during this time. All at an additional cost.
Small businesses are innovative, nimble and adaptable. The sooner they are given a chance to fully reopen, the sooner they can start implementing their workplace practices and preparedness plans. And the more equity that is given to who is deemed “essential” will help them survive and compete in their communities. We believe all businesses are essential. We know you do too.
Easing Minnesota’s stay-at-home order for retailers was a step in the right direction. However, DEED Commission Steve Grove acknowledged last week that small businesses have borne a disproportionate amount of the economic burden. Businesses throughout the state are preparing to fully return to work and taking steps to do so responsibly and expeditiously. We urge you to continue to recognize that businesses can and have designed plans for safe work environments and allow more businesses to fully return to work.
As chambers of commerce, we stand ready to help ensure our members are prepared to open – that they have instituted health and safety protocols for their workers and customers and have a preparedness plan in place. We are confident in their ability to do the right thing and are working with them, each and every day to understand and employ best practices. In fact, we believe if allowed, will do it equally as well as their larger counterparts.
It’s time to get Minnesota moving again, in the safest way possible for employees and customers, while protecting businesses of all size. Minnesota’s long-term economic future is counting on it.
LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN SUPPORT OF SAFELY OPENING SMALL BUSINESSES
Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce
Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce
Austin Area Chamber of Commerce
Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce
Big Lake Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Blooming Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce
Brainerd Lakes Chamber
Buffalo Area Chamber of Commerce
Burnsville Chamber of Commerce
Cannon Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce
Crookston Area Chamber of Commerce
Cuyuna Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce
Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce
Edina Chamber of Commerce
Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce
Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce
Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Fergus Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Forest Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Greater Mankato Growth, Inc.
Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce
Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce
Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau
Hermantown Area Chamber of Commerce
Hibbing Area Chamber of Commerce
Hutchinson Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism
International Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce
La Crescent Chamber of Commerce
Lake City Chamber of Commerce
Lakeville Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB
Laurentian Chamber of Commerce
Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Litchfield Chamber of Commerce
Long Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce
Lonsdale Area Chamber of Commerce
Madelia Area Chamber of Commerce
Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce
Melrose Area Chamber of Commerce
MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Moose Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Mountain Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
New Prague Chamber of Commerce
Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Park Rapids Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Pipestone Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB
Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce
Red Wing Area Chamber of Commerce
Redwood Area Chamber & Tourism
River Heights Chamber of Commerce
Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce
Sauk Centre Area Chamber of Commerce
Shakopee Chamber & Visitors Bureau
Sleepy Eye Area Chamber of Commerce
SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce
Springfield Chamber of Commerce
St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber Grand Forks & East Grand Forks
Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce
Twin Cities North Chamber
TwinWest Chamber of Commerce
Waconia Chamber of Commerce
Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce
White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce
Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Windom Area Chamber of Commerce
Winona Area Chamber of Commerce
Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce
cc: Senator Paul Gazelka
Senator Susan Kent
Speaker Melissa Hortman
Representative Daudt
