Remember when we could gather in our favorite cafes and restaurants? When we could fill theaters and festival grounds? A year into this crisis, all of that seems like a distant memory. But someday soon, it will be safe to return to our favorite neighborhood businesses. Governor Tim Walz wants to make sure they’ll still be there to welcome us.

Open for business

In June of 2020, Walz launched a small business relief program, which provided much-needed grants to Minnesota-owned businesses facing financial hardship. This program focused on assisting independent, family-owned businesses, as well as businesses owned by women, veterans, and Minnesotans of Color. 

Walz continued to support small businesses into the fall and winter, providing millions of dollars in aid to the small businesses our communities treasure most.

Now, in 2021, with a new legislative session underway, Governor Walz is still looking out for small businesses in Minnesota with a new round of relief payments. 

Getting connected

Minnesotans can’t work or attend school remotely without a reliable internet connection. That’s why broadband access matters, especially during this pandemic.

To keep Minnesotans connected, Governor Walz passed broadband grants to bring reliable, high-speed internet access to underserved areas of the state.

For Greater Minnesota businesses, that’s great news. In the past year, we’ve relied on the internet more than ever to keep us connected. And it’s a lot harder to manage sales and conduct meetings online if the wi-fi keeps cutting out. High-speed broadband helps small businesses adapt in these trying times. 

Looking ahead

True to form, conservatives are putting wealthy corporations ahead of Minnesota families. Their budget proposal cuts millions of dollars from jobs and economic development, all while protecting corporate interests. 

Meanwhile, Governor Walz is still putting small businesses first. 

His budget asks ultra-rich corporations, many of whom have made billions in profit during this pandemic, and the wealthiest one percent of Minnesotans, to pay their fair share in taxes. It’s not much to ask of the super wealthy, but it could make a big difference for our communities. The extra tax revenue will go to the hardworking Minnesota business owners and families who have been hit hardest by this pandemic.

We’ll get through this

Soon enough, we’ll be able sit with our friends in a crowded bar and enjoy our favorite local brews. We’ll be able to take our grandparents out for lunch or coffee. Eventually, we’ll return to the theaters and sing along to our favorite artists. 

One day, this crisis will pass. In the meantime, we need to make sure that Minnesota’s small businesses have what they need to see it through. Find out who represents you and tell them to pass a state budget that puts working families, and small businesses first.