Release: Lieberman Visits Business Leaders In Flagstaff, Calls For More Money To Be Allotted For Small Business Recovery Efforts

Posted on September 08, 2021

Release
September 8, 2021
Contact: [email protected]

Release: Lieberman Visits Business Leaders In Flagstaff, Calls For More Money To Be Allotted For Small Business Recovery Efforts

Flagstaff Councilmembers Jim McCarthy and Miranda Sweet 
PHOENIX - Over the weekend, candidate for governor Aaron Lieberman attended the Coconino County Fair and took part in a Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance Mixer where he discussed the gubernatorial race and Arizona's "Back to Work Small Business Rehiring and Retention Program." Representative Lieberman was proud that the governor used Lieberman's COVID-19 small business relief bill as the basis for the $5 million "Back to Work Small Business Rehiring and Retention Program", but is now calling on the state to do more for Arizona's ailing small business community. 

The high demand for the program shows the significant needs of Arizona's small businesses following weeks of fires, flooding, and all the challenges that have come from a depressed economy caused by the worldwide pandemic. This small business program, managed by the Arizona Commerce Authority, has a special emphasis on helping Arizona small businesses affected by wildfires and flooding. Application submissions that have been and continue to be filed with the state are already stretching the limits of the program.

"Clearly Arizona small businesses are still hurting, as evidenced by the flood of applications received by the program. I'm calling on Governor Ducey to increase the allotment of dollars dedicated to this important program to help Arizona small businesses. They are the backbone of our economy and it only makes good sense to help stabilize them," said Lieberman, "In just a couple of weeks $8 million in applications have come in. The original limit of the program was $5 million. So I hope the governor will add another $5 million to support our small businesses here in Flagstaff and across our entire state." he added.

Flagstaff business owner and city councilmember Miranda Sweet applied for the grant fund and said, "I hope to use the grant money to get new employees in...this pandemic is not over and the fight for small business is certainly not over." 

An Arizona small business has to meet eligibility requirements to receive funding, including the following requirements: owned and operated in the state of Arizona; incorporated before January 1, 2020; rent or lease a physical location in Arizona; have between five and 25 total employees that work at the physical location. Eligible businesses in areas impacted by wildfires or floods may have up to 50 employees.

Other Notable Updates:
Rep. Aaron Lieberman is a state representative for Legislative District 28, a social entrepreneur, and a candidate for Arizona Governor. After seeing first-hand the effectiveness and success of early childhood intervention programs, Aaron launched Jumpstart, a national nonprofit to ensure all children had the opportunity to enter kindergarten prepared to succeed.  To date, more than 50,000 college students have served, working with more than 100,000 children and earning over $200 million in scholarships through AmeriCorps. Later, he founded Acelero Learning to close the achievement gap for Head Start children. Impacting over 40,000 kids every day, children enrolled in Acelero’s programs make gains at nearly three times the national average. Aaron was born and raised in Arizona. He and his wife live in Phoenix, where they’re raising their two sons. Aaron’s daughter is studying history at Yale, his alma mater.
For more information, please visit aaron4az.com. Follow Aaron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @aaron4az.
 
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