Pub. 9 2020 Issue 3

The CommunityBanker 6 Chairman’s Message M E S S A G E By Lloyd Harrison VACB Chairman Virginia Partners Bank 2020 Impact on Small Business I think all of us can agree that 2020 needs to go away. Of course, we can’t snap our fingers and make it happen, and even if we could, the effects will linger. The economy is by no means out of the woods. I am particularly concerned about small businesses, the engines of Main Street America. It is well-established that small businesses create the majority of new jobs. They employ about half of all workers, and account for about 44% of the U.S. economy, according to the Small Business Administration. Small businesses come in a truly remarkable number of flavors. We all recognize the restaurants, florists, barbershops and boutiques in our local towns. Often overlooked are the myriad businesses tucked into side streets, offices or in - dustrial parks, and even in somebody’s home. And somebody’s home may be someone else’s small business. I know a lot of people who own a couple of rental houses as part of their strategy to plan for retirement. Pretty much every business I know of has been affected. I know this from talking to my customers and others in the business community. These folks are worried. They are worried about customers coming back. They are worried about supply chains. They are worried about the health and safety of their employees. They are worried about the cost to comply with new rules and regulations and social expectations. When they see a local business shut its doors, they worry if they are next. This is no idle concern. Chapter 11 bankruptcies are up over a third from last year. Yelp reports 80,000 small businesses have closed since March 1. Many small business owners, avoiding bankruptcy, simply decide to turn off the lights and lock the doors one last time. The PPP money was disbursed and spent over the past few months. The last round of stimulus checks went out a few weeks ago. The temporary increase in unemployment benefits ended likewise. Politics in Washington have devolved into gridlock. In Richmond, though, the General Assembly will con- vene in an emergency session. These are serious times, and I hope that our elected representatives on the state and national level will come to recognize the need for serious delibera - tions, devoid of partisan rancor. As they work to address the problems facing all of us, I hope they are mindful of the small business community. Care needs to be taken to avoid an avalanche of rules, regulations, mandates, and costs directed at business. One of the truths of the world is that small businesses are the least able to afford a phalanx of lawyers and accountants to comply with excessive regulation. It may be politi- cally tempting to play a gotcha game, in- tending to take a swipe at big business, but small businesses invariably suffer collateral damage.