Small enterprise group, together with an Alexandria member, helps a few of Walz’s restoration finances

One of the business owners was Shannon Berns, owner of Du Nord Consulting in Alexandria. During a press conference organized by the Main Street Alliance in Minnesota, Berns spoke about the importance of family paid and medical leave.

“Because of the pandemic, so many of the small businesses I work with have had to be without their employees for weeks, and that only brings them back further,” Berns said. “It’s becoming increasingly clear that we need policies like paid family and sick leave that allow people to take time to quarantine or care for themselves and their loved ones, and give companies time to regroup. “

With the right support, Berns added, small businesses can find out how to thrive now and in the future.

“As they work to get a budget approved, our lawmakers really need to listen to the small business owners, mom and pop stores and Main Street businesses that are fueling our economy and needing the most support,” Berns said.

Jason Rathe, owner of Field Outdoor Spaces Landscaping in Minneapolis, said Walz’s budget was a “big step” in helping families and businesses rebuild after the pandemic.

“His plan to support working families by expanding access to childcare is particularly important to me,” said Rathe. “I have found that when my employees fail, it is often because of the stress life puts on their family, and childcare is a big part of that, especially now.”

The childcare landscape in Minnesota has been hard hit by the pandemic, according to the conference’s business owners. Childcare workers have faced increased costs, lost revenue, temporary closures and challenges for the workforce.

Families have faced challenges in accessing childcare with distance or hybrid education children and could not rely on family or friends who may no longer be able to help because of their age or an underlying health condition, the business owners said. Lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a major barrier to the participation of women, single parents, low-income parents and rural parents in the workforce.

The Main Street Alliance in Minnesota cited a study by researchers at Cornell University and the Swiss Economic Institute, which found that states with new access to paid emergency leave saw 400 fewer cases per day during the pandemic, underscoring that paid leave is one of the most popular best tools is slowing the spread of the virus and fighting the pandemic.

Unfortunately, according to Allianz, only 13 percent of the country’s workforce have access to paid family vacations through their employers.

Walz’s COVID-19 recovery plan, a $ 52.4 billion proposal, would raise taxes for those making more than $ 1 million a year and for businesses that benefit from the pandemic, and provide tax equalization for working families and low wage earners.

The plan would draw on new taxes, budget reserves and transfer funds to fill a projected $ 1.3 billion gap and increase funding for schools, businesses and fighting Minnesotans.

“This is a budget that reflects Minnesota’s feeling that those who have hit COVID hardest need to help,” Walz said when announcing the plan. “We help our own.”

Republicans who control the Minnesota Senate put the proposal on hold before it even got out, saying they would block any proposed tax increases. Americans for Prosperity and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce also said they had serious concerns about raising taxes as Minnesotans struggle to get out of the pandemic.

Democrats, education groups, trade unions and faith leaders meanwhile said the plan would allow the Minnesotans hardest hit by the pandemic to survive if they continue to thrive and thrive after their withdrawal.

Legislators will draw up their own budget visions in the coming weeks and then spend most of spring negotiating a spending plan that can please both Republicans and Democrats.

Dana Ferguson of Forum News Service contributed to this story.

Since 2008, the Main Street Alliance has built a network of more than 30,000 companies in 11 states. Organizing at the grassroots level, including face-to-face surveys at company locations, one-on-one meetings, and local events, seeks to understand the issues that matter most to small businesses.

Members include manufacturers, restaurateurs, artists, farmers, accountants, printers, software designers, retailers, mechanics, and more.