WASHINGTON — The heads of auto care organizations, including the Tire Industry Association and Auto Care Association have signed a letter requesting urgent action to protect their members in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The letter, signed by 10 association leaders, was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
"The crisis isn't two months away," the association leaders said in their March 13 letter. "It's here. Now. Consumers are scared. Many of these businesses are already down by 40-75%. Their operating margins cannot sustain such losses.
"In the meantime, they suffer daily with excessive emotional stress from loss of income and shortages of critical services such as affordable health care and affordable, safe child care due to sudden and prolonged school closings," they wrote.
The executives urged Congress and the Trump administration to:
Issue a "disaster" declaration that would allow small businesses to obtain funding directly from the Small Business Administration and other federal, state and private relief entities;
- Allow 100% deductions of business losses in 2020 for all non-remote-function-capable small businesses (NRFCSB);
- Allow NRFCSB employees to qualify for federal-state unemployment insurance benefits without impacting the employers' insurance rates;
- Provide federal child care subsidies for NRFCSB employers and employees;
- Provide mortgage assistance plans for the same employers and employees;
- Provide federal assistance for COVID-19-related health care costs, and/or a mandate that private insurers must cover COVID-19-related health care either for free or at most the actual cost of the care; and
- Include tax-exempt entities such as associations and nonprofits in temporary aid to address the damage caused by event cancellations and reduced attendance.
Signers of the letter included the chief executives of the Automotive Oil Change Association, the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association, ACA, the California Automotive Business Coalition, the International Carwash Association Inc., TIA, the California Automotive Association, the Independent Automotive Professionals Association and the Automotive Service Association.