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Trump, Congress Agree on New Stimulus Package by Dan McCaleb, The Center Square
President Donald Trump and congressional leaders have agreed on a new, nearly $500 billion stimulus package to help small businesses im-
pacted by stay-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The $484 billion deal includes $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program so businesses can continue paying employees. It also includes an additional $60 billion for a small business emergency grant and loan program, $75 billion for hospitals and $25 billion for a new coronavirus testing program. “I urge the Senate and House to pass the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act with additional funding for PPP, Hospitals, and Testing,” Trump wrote See New Stimulus Package, Page 6
Colorado Gov. Polis Outlines Initial Plan for Lifting Some Restrictions The safer-at-home order does ask Coloradans to avoid unnecessary travel, strongly advises wearing face coverings in public, bans gatherings of over 10 people, and requires those who are sick to not work. Many Coloradans will return to work in the next few weeks. Others will continue to work from home, as encouraged by Governor Jared Polis. Gov. Polis announced that his stayat-home order will expire on April 26 but some restrictions will remain in place. There will be a transition period
through May 4 into what the governor called a “safer at home” set of guidelines. Polis compares the stay-at-home period as a sprint and the time ahead as the marathon. He suggests reducing daily encounters, limiting social interactions and continuing social distancing. He is allowing retail to reopen with some restrictions still in place but is extending the closure of bars and restaurants to an undecided date. Gatherings are still limited to less than 10. Offices are now able to See Colorado Gov. Polis, Page 3
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AUTOBODYNEWS.COM Vol. 38 / Issue 5 / May 2020
TX Gov. Greg Abbott Announces Team to Restart the Economy, Loosens Some Restrictions by Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune
Gov. Greg Abbott on April 17 announced initial steps to reopen the Texas economy during the coronavirus pandemic, including those that in the next week will loosen surgery restrictions at medical facilities, allow all retail stores to provide product pickups and reopen state parks. Abbott also named a “statewide strike force” devoted to getting the economy going again. Austin banker James Huffines will chair the task force, and veteran lobbyist Mike Toomey will lead its staff.
The group will oversee what Abbott described as a phased reopening, starting April 17 with additional announcements set for April 27 and sometime in May. At the same time, Abbott announced all Texas schools will stay closed through the rest of the academic year. He previously shuttered them until May 4. Abbott made the announcements during a news conference at the Texas Capitol that he began on a note of optimism. “Because of the efforts by evSee TX Gov. Greg Abbott, Page 20
Most Shops Weathering The Storm – So Far by Gary Ledoux
On April 17, 18, and 19, Autobody News used its 19,000 shop email subscribers and also social media channels to conduct a survey of collision shops across the country to see how they were coping with the COVID 19 pandemic. The majority of shops responding were independently owned singe-point shops, those perhaps the most vulnerable to volatile market swings. Despite that, and a wide range of available work, (most shops operating at 25% to 75% capacity) most seem to be faring reasonably well. The majority of shops (59%) have not laid off any workers although 21% have laid off three-quarters of their people. Most shops have taken a number of precautions to protect employees and customers including use of gloves and masks, frequent hand-washing, etc. It is surmised that not many shops think the pandemic situation will last very long because only 19% have taken on work other than traditional collision repair.
The majority of shops have applied for financial assistance through the government’s CARES Act but have not received their funds yet. The sad truth is, those funds may never come because as of this writing, the funds have been exhausted. There are, however, other measures being debated to replenish the program (see related stories.) Wayne Stevens, owner of Stevens Collision in western New York is a single-point shop, certified with FCA, Hyundai, and Kia but with no DRP arrangements. At present he hasn’t laid-off any employees because he has a two-week backlog of work. He says, “My father always told me, ‘Take care of the people that come through your door, no matter what they want, and you’ll build your business.’” Doug Hassell owns Hassell Auto Body on Long Island in New York, another single-point shop that has been in business since 1963, and has enough work to stay busy—so far. The shop has no DRP arrangements and no dealer relationships although they See Body Shop Survey, Page 18
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