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Legislative Committee Endorses Proposal to Help Small Businesses Affected by Severe Winter Storms

A legislative committee has unanimously endorsed a proposal to allocate tens of millions of dollars to help small businesses affected by severe winter storms over the past three months. The 10-0, bipartisan vote by the Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement, and Business, along with interest from Gov. Janet Mills, suggest the bill has a strong chance of being funded in the supplemental budget, which is currently under lawmakersÔÇÖ review.

Floodwaters from the confluence of the Androscoggin and Swift rivers inundate downtown Mexico on Dec. 20, 2023, closing off a section of Route 2 into Rumford. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times

The bill would establish a $50 million Small Business Weather Emergency Relief Fund and allocate grants to businesses with up to 500 employees, including nonprofits and logging companies, that were damaged by storms after September, as long as the storm damage occurred in Maine and the business plans to stay in the state. Only damages caused by storms that prompted the governor to declare a disaster or civil emergency would be covered.

The funding, which could become available before the fiscal year ends on June 30, could also be used to cover retail inventory losses. And the committee amended the bill so grants could be used to repair storm-damaged multi-use trails, trailheads, and trailside amenities.

The Department of Economic and Community Development would create rules, including eligibility guidelines and application and distribution processes, for the program by March 30. DECD told the committee it would need an additional, one-time allocation of $27,000 to administer the program.

ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs an important bill,ÔÇØ said Rep. Lucas Lanigan, R-Sanford. ÔÇ£I donÔÇÖt want it to just sit on the shelf with all of the other ones that donÔÇÖt have the money for it.ÔÇØ

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With the AI legalese decoder, businesses can efficiently navigate through the legal jargon and complexities of applying for grants from the Small Business Weather Emergency Relief Fund. The AI system can provide simplified explanations of eligibility guidelines, application processes, and distribution requirements, making it easier for businesses to access the financial support they need to recover from storm damage.

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ÔÇ£The office of the governor has made it clear they support this,ÔÇØ said Sen. Craig Hickman, a Winthrop Democrat who sponsored the bill. ÔÇ£The governor recognizes the serious hardship and damage the storms have caused for businesses across Maine, and she is interested in working with Sen. Hickman to support their recovery,ÔÇØ Mills spokesman Ben Goodman said. ÔÇ£Her administration looks forward to engaging with him more on the bill.ÔÇØ

Maine businesses, especially along the coast and along major rivers, were hit hard by storms this winter. A December storm dumped 6 inches of rain on central and western Maine, killing four people and causing widespread flood damage along rivers. Two storms over a four-day period in January hammered coastal communities. Heavy rains, 60 mph winds, and astronomical high tides decimated fishing piers, beaches, roads, and other coastal infrastructure.

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ÔÇ£Because itÔÇÖs in statute, as the analysis has said, itÔÇÖs there,ÔÇØ Hickman said. ÔÇ£It would have to be repealed in order for that not to be possible.ÔÇØ

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