In a joint letter to Congressional leadership, the amusement industry associations AAMA and AMOA requested the government “do more to open lines of liquidity” so small businesses “can meet payroll until the virus is no longer a threat.”
“The crisis is very real. We are feeling it now. We want to keep our employees. Without a cash infusion, we cannot,” they wrote. “These loans, if quickly and thoughtfully administered, will be paid back. The alternative of collecting an unemployment check will not.
“We know the cascading effects this will have on the economy, as pay stubs become unemployment checks. Previous efforts to help small businesses have focused on reimbursement by the federal government through refundable tax credits. Not only is the administrative burden attached to the credits substantial, the timeliness of the credits will be challenging.”
They concluded: “We need your help now. We are in crisis and the crisis will become a tragedy without swift action to put money into the system and get it to small businesses.”