Capitol News

Michigan Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement.

Small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 virus and Governor Whitmer’s several shutdowns will be able to apply for grants of up to $15,000 through the Pure 

Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative starting today.

Grants will be awarded in the amount of up to $15,000 per eligible business on a “first-in” basis. Information on how to apply as well as eligibility criteria and program guidelines are 

available at www.michiganbusiness.org/relief.

 Michigan Chamber Demands Better, Fairer, More Significant Relief to Decimated Businesses

While the Governor and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) work to promote the few grant programs they roll out, the Michigan Chamber has requested the 

administration develop a more comprehensive, meaningful relief package for Michigan’s struggling businesses.

Businesses are facing challenges that are, in many cases, insurmountable.  With forced shutdowns, constantly changing regulations and overwhelming uncertainty, the problems 

many Michigan businesses and business owners are facing seem to be never-ending.  In response to these hardships forced upon them by government action, the Governor, 

under her practically unilateral control, offers these businesses hardly any meaningful relief.

Instead of arbitrary, negligible grant programs based on the ‘luck of the draw’, the Governor must propose a comprehensive relief package available to all businesses that need it 

through the form of a tax credit administered broadly, available to everyone, through the tax code.

The legislature has offered options the Governor has vetoed or opposed.  The ball is in her court.

We should not allow unelected government bureaucrats to cherry-pick grant dollars to just a few of the many deserving businesses.  This is an unfair process that is open to 

manipulation and corruption.  Enact a smart, broad-based tax credit all businesses that have been negatively impacted by government action can receive to help them get through 

these uncertain and difficult times.

The Michigan Chamber is aggressively pursuing a tax credit as described above.

For more information on this initiative or if you have feedback that could be helpful in crafting this proposal, please contact Dan Papineau at dpapineau@michamber.com

Original source can be found here.