Business Recovery Task Force is Fighting to Protect Business in Simi Valley

The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, the City of Simi Valley, and the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce have joined together to partner with Ventura County District 4 Supervisor Bob Huber's office in the Business Recovery Task Force. The Task Force was formed in late May 2020 and meets weekly to discuss areas of greatest need for business, and to determine the best course of action to help these businesses. Since its inception, the Task Force has made thousands of outreach calls to businesses in Simi Valley and Moorpark to hear the concerns and challenges they are facing and to collect information that can be provided to elected officials. 
 
At the August 5 meeting, members of the State Delegation including Assembly Member Christy Smith, a district representative for Assembly Member Jacqui Irwin, and a district representative for Senator Henry Stern joined in the meeting to learn about issues facing businesses in their districts. The Task Force shared stories about local businesses who have been forced to close or move outdoors, the impact that these closures have had on the local economy, and discussed the state metrics for a County to be on the watch list. The Task Force members pushed to reopen businesses by asking the state delegation to approach the Governor regarding the metrics that place a county on the "watch list," which has required additional industries to either close their business or move outdoors.

At the August 12 meeting, representatives from the Federal Government, including staff members from the offices of Senator Dianne Feinstein, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, and Congressman Mike Garcia, as well as staff from the United States Chamber of Commerce, attended the Task Force meeting to learn more about local business struggles. The Task Force shared examples of our local businesses, and stressed the importance of additional federal funding desperately needed to keep our businesses open. With legislation being proposed in Congress regarding additional relief, the Task Force further emphasized the need to expand and re-fund the PPP and SBA programs. 
 
The Task Force will continue to meet, outreach to local businesses, and fight to provide businesses with the resources and funds they need to reopen and stay open.