Wednesday, March 22, 2023
North-JerseyNews.com
  • Home
  • Washington
  • Trenton
  • County
  • Court
  • Roundup
  • Opinion
  • Search
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Washington
  • Trenton
  • County
  • Court
  • Roundup
  • Opinion
  • Search
  • Donation
No Result
View All Result
North-JerseyNews.com
No Result
View All Result
Home County

Bill Earmarks $30M For Restaurants That Lost Money After Indoor Dining Reopenings Were Halted

Sabrina Walsh by Sabrina Walsh
August 28, 2020
in County, Trenton
0 0
2
architecture chairs dining dining room

Photo by Creative Vix on Pexels.com

0
SHARES
2
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

With indoor dining set to potentially resume as soon as next month in New Jersey, the state legislature passed a bill to help restaurants recoup money lost during the pandemic-related shutdown.

The bipartisan measure (A-4413/S-2704) would allocate $30 million to the Economic Development Authority through the CARES Act to reimburse restaurants via grants or loans, according to the bill text. The bill awaits action from Gov. Phil Murphy after passing both houses Aug. 27.

During his Aug. 26 media briefing, Murphy said he hopes to make an announcement within two weeks on indoor dining and added that “if the data stays as good as it is” he anticipates restaurants and bars being permitted to offer limited inside dining by mid-September.

Bipartisan Support

Senate sponsors include President Steve Sweeney (D-3), State Sens. Vin Gopal (D-11) and Anthony Bucco (R-25), while the Assembly bill’s backers include BettyLou DeCroce (R-26), Holly Schepisi (R-39), Christopher DePhillips (R-40), Brian Bergen (R-25), Thomas Giblin (D-34), Gordon Johnson (D-37) and Jon Bramnick (D-21).

According to the bill, funding would go to restaurants that shelled out money on supplies in preparation for indoor dining’s return on July 2.

Outdoor dining resumed in June and Murphy originally announced he would permit indoor service at restaurants at a 25% capacity in early July; he called it off at the last minute in response to an uptick in cases across the country that originated in bars and restaurants.

Restaurant Losses

Restaurant owners have reported losing thousands of dollars after the Murphy Administration reversed its decision, legislators said.

Bucco said in a statement, “Now, it’s almost two months later and they are still closed. The owners of many establishments spent money they didn’t, often on personal credit cards to buy food, PPE for staff and renovate their dining rooms to serve customers safely. The money the spent and losses they incurred, through no fault of their own, added insult to injury and restaurants deserve to be compensated.”

While eateries have been allowed to offer pick-up and delivery option, dining indoors was prohibited back in March as part of the state’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Industry Is ‘Devastated’

Marilou Halvorsen, President of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association, said the pandemic has “devastated” restaurants and many establishments have not survived.

“For many owners already in a precarious position, this false start on indoor dining after they had paid for food, had their restaurants cleaned and hired employees has placed their livelihood in even greater jeopardy. This is a welcomed bipartisan bill that will help our restaurants survive the continued ban on indoor dining as well as prepare for their eventual reopening,” she said in a statement.

“These businesses are among the hardest hurt by the pandemic and they are at risk of permanently going out of business,” Sweeney said.

Want Restrictions Eased

The bill “will help reimburse the restaurants, bars and catering businesses that have followed the rules to protect the public’s health but are now paying the price,” he said.

The governor has faced mounting pressure from businesses, residents and legislators to ease restrictions enacted in response to the outbreak.

Schepisi recently sent a letter to Murphy on behalf of restaurant owners urging him to allow indoor service to resume “immediately” in order to “save the industry that serves as a backbone of our economy and provides employment to approximately half a million residents.”

New York Competition

The District 39 assemblywoman wrote, “The district I represent borders New York State and therefore none of our residents are less than a mile away from Rockland County, where indoor dining is currently allowed at 50% capacity. The Rockland County executive has indicated no uptick in cases since restaurants have instituted indoor dining in late June. The close proximity of these indoor dining options have resulted in an even greater loss of revenue for restaurant owners…especially on inclement weather days.”

“There are no scientific or health reasons, based upon numbers we have analyzed right across the border, to continue to hurt these businesses,” Schepisi declared.

Bucco said he believes “the best thing” New Jersey can do “for the suffering restaurant industry and its employees is to allow them to reopen for responsible indoor dining.”

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • More
  • LinkedIn

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Tags: Assemblyman Brian BergenAssemblyman Christopher DePhillipsAssemblyman Gordon JohnsonAssemblyman Thomas GiblinAssemblywoman BettyLou DeCroceAssemblywoman Holly Schepisicapacity limitationscaterersCoronavirusEconomic Development AuthorityEconomyGovernor Phil MurphyIndoor DiningNew Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality AssociationNew Yorkrestaurants and barsRockland CountyState Sen. Anthony BuccoState Sen. Vin GopalState Senate President Steve SweeneyThe CARES ACT
Previous Post

New Jersey Legislators Applaud Portal Bridge Funding Package

Next Post

New Jersey Gas Tax Rate Rising Over Nine Cents a Gallon Oct. 1

Next Post
photo of car on gas station

New Jersey Gas Tax Rate Rising Over Nine Cents a Gallon Oct. 1

Comments 2

  1. Pingback: Sen. Cory Booker Supports Legislation Creating Revitalization Fund for Independent Restaurants - North-JerseyNews.com
  2. Pingback: Murphy Vetoes $30 Million Bill to Reimburse Restaurants for Pandemic-Related Losses | | North-JerseyNews.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

support-Local

Recent Post

North-JerseyNews.com

President Biden’s Numbers Dip in New Monmouth Poll

by James Hickey
March 21, 2023
2

North-JerseyNews.com

Mayor Sayegh: No Federal Intervention of Paterson Police Needed

by James Hickey
March 21, 2023
1

North-JerseyNews.com

North-JerseyNews.com Roundup for March 21, 2023: DeCamp to End Manhattan Commuter Service

by North-JerseyNews.com
March 21, 2023
0

Popular

North-JerseyNews.com

President Biden’s Numbers Dip in New Monmouth Poll

by James Hickey
2023/03/21
2

North-JerseyNews.com

Mayor Sayegh: No Federal Intervention of Paterson Police Needed

by James Hickey
2023/03/21
1

North-JerseyNews.com

North-JerseyNews.com Roundup for March 21, 2023: DeCamp to End Manhattan Commuter Service

by North-JerseyNews.com
2023/03/21
0

Subscribe now

Join 100,000+ other subscribers

Select list(s) to subscribe to

ss-tp
2107.JG.FightForJersey

North-JerseyNews.com

When it comes to breaking news North Jersey, North Jersey local news or live news North Jersey, We all look for a reliable source that can give us authentic North Jersey news or local Jersey news.

© Copyright 2021 North-JerseyNews.com

Design and Developed By MOZWEBMEDIA

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Washington
  • Trenton
  • County
  • Court
  • Roundup
  • Opinion
  • Search
  • Donation

© Copyright 2021 North-JerseyNews.com
Design and Developed By MOZWEBMEDIA

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Finance-Currency-Financial-World-Dollar-Funds-634901

Add Your Heading Text Here

Pop-up Design 1 (1)

%d bloggers like this: