Not rendering correctly? View this email as a web page here.

Did you know that Right on Healthcare has a newsletter?

Click here to subscribe!

It’s Time to Open Up—Now

What to Know: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is accelerating the reopening of the state’s economy, as he added hair salons, barber shops and (soon) gyms to the list of businesses that can reopen, as long as they practice measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The TPPF Take: The data shows we can open up the Texas economy and keep people safe.

“We can save lives by protecting the most vulnerable among us—the elderly and the immunocompromised—and we can save livelihoods by allowing all businesses to open,” says TPPF’s Kevin Roberts. “We have the data. A new study shows that a targeted lockdown is the most efficient means mitigating both the damage done by the coronavirus and the harm caused by the shutdown itself.”

Fairness in the Recovery Process

What to Know: The Paycheck Protection Program, the federal government’s attempt to assist small businesses hit hard by the coronavirus shutdowns, bypassed many of those small businesses.

The TPPF Take: Josh Collins runs a bar-and-grill in Tyler, Texas, on the courthouse square. His is one of the many small businesses that has fallen through the cracks, receiving no assistance. This hurts his workers, too.

“Two things are clear in this economic crisis; we need to get back to work, and any assistance needs to be directed specifically at helping businesses reopen and keep or rehire their workforce.  Many employers who were forced to close by government-mandated shutdowns incurred significant losses and now need help to repair the damage but any assistance must be carefully administered in order to serve the purpose of getting the economy back on track and Americans back to work,” says TPPF’s Rod Bordelon. “Our Workplace Recovery Act is also inherently fair in that it is open to a broad spectrum of businesses and allows smaller businesses to have the same program access as larger businesses.”

Tax Hikes Ahead?

What to Know: The coronavirus pandemic will have a huge effect on state, county and local budgets.

The TPPF Take: We all have to tighten our belts—even local governments. They shouldn’t raise taxes, at a time when Texans can least afford it.

“Any tax hike is going to have the greatest impact on our restaurant and retail workers, who have been hit hard,” notes TPPF’s Ellen Troxclair. “If the city and county want to help Texas families, they can let us get back to work as soon as safely possible, and minimize tax increases during an already difficult time.”