I have some potentially exciting news to share, along with a call to action for those of you willing to help with some advocacy around Hurricane Helene relief.
We have a few sources that have shared that the NC Senate is starting to draft their version of a Hurricane Helene Aid package, influenced by the approved House Bill 1012. This is a SIGNIFICANT development, as this was previously going to be lumped into the passage of a State Budget, which has several negotiating hurdles to pass before it sees traction and could take a long while to see the light of day, if at all.
Our ask is simple…we need a quick shot of support and encouragement sent to our representatives in the NC General Assembly. Here are the bullet points the WNC Chamber Business Coalition is pushing:
- Thank you for your continued work on behalf of Western North Carolina, and for your consideration of moving forward a standalone hurricane relief package. The expedited timing that could be realized by moving this bill forward now will have a direct impact on the stability of our business community and the recovery timeline and quality of life for residents across our region.
- We remain supportive of the measures passed in HB1012, and continue to message to our networks our appreciation for the unanimous, bipartisan support this bill received. Of the funding priorities outlined in the bill, the Helene Business Recovery Grant Program is well positioned to help businesses that are struggling due to the revenue loss associated with reduced traffic, slowed sales channels, and recovery from physical damage as a result of the storm. It is one of the few opportunities available that has directly addressed revenue loss, which makes up a considerable amount of the acute needs we are hearing from business today, and is impacting summer hiring and overall stability.
- The funding allocated to infrastructure improvements, private road and bridge repair, assistance with debris removal, and other community hardening will ensure our county government and municipalities have all of the support and flexibility they need to continue moving our areas forward. We know that the stronger our local governments are at a time like this, the more help they can provide our citizens and businesses that continue to deal with daily challenges of recovery.
- We appreciate your willingness to work with the NC House to get a bill agreed upon and approved. Timing is everything right now, and working together on this issue separate from the full budget process comes at a critical time for residents and businesses across Western North Carolina.
Should the Senate follow through with action on a standalone bill, it will need to go back to the House as part of the process toward passage. Nothing is guaranteed, but this is the opportunity we have been hoping for to get this aid package moving along as quickly as possible. There was a good deal of programmatic alignment in HB1012 and Governor Stein’s latest relief proposal. In our opinion, the passage of a standalone bill has the best chance to positively impact a broad range of our citizens and business owners.
Contact information for the key Senators is listed below. Your support for this measure needs to occur as soon as possible as things are moving quickly in Raleigh.
Senator Ralph Hise – ralph.hise@ncleg.gov
Representative Dudley Greene – Dudley.Greene@ncleg.gov
Thank you for your support in this,
Robin Morgan
Executive Director
Avery County Chamber of Commerce