Authorize $100,000 to Support Local Businesses During Pandemic - YES

Corte Madera's thriving local business scene is in many ways key to the community's success, with local businesses generating much of the sales tax revenue that funds the services our residents rely on (the majority of which is paid for by visiting shoppers from out of town!). Because of this, it has been a top priority of ours to protect local businesses as best we can from the economic ravages of the pandemic, as both an important source of revenue for the Town and a critical livelihood for many Corte Madera workers and business-owners.

We've already helped businesses with rent assistance, but now we are taking our programs a step further by authorizing $100,000 in further stimulus. Much of this money will be converted into gift cards to local businesses that will be distributed to residents in need (for example, gift cards to restaurants and grocery stores for those struggling to feed their families). By doing this, we are reinvesting sales tax revenue in local businesses, helping to ensure the continued survival of Corte Madera's businesses and the continued generation of local revenue.