Alaska’s small businesses deserve our support

When I was a kid, the owner of the old Lee’s Jewelry on Government Hill would pay me to take the trash out. Twenty-five cents a bag was a big deal to an 8-year-old. On the weekends, I cleaned windshields at my dad’s corner gas station. I had no problem getting my little hands dirty to earn enough money to buy toys and candy at the hobby shop across the street. Later, I worked my way through college at a variety of mom-and-pop shops, became the first in my family to earn a degree, started and owned two small businesses of my own, and raised four kids along the way with my husband, Pat. Small businesses have always been at the center of my life.

When the pandemic hit, like many Alaskans, I retained the optimism and confidence that comes from weathering many storms before. But it has been a bigger challenge than any of us expected. We have watched with admiration as essential workers, doctors, nurses, first responders, and those who stock our shelves, continue to show up for work every day to serve our families despite the personal risks. But I’m writing today to talk about the small businesses across our state who closed their doors to keep our communities safe and in so doing had to risk their livelihoods and their employees' jobs.

Every day, I hear from small business owners who are doing everything they can to keep their businesses going and keep their employees — hardworking Alaskans — on payroll. But in many cases, given their current challenges, they have not received the support they need. I was on the phone just last week with a proud Alaska businessman who broke down in tears as he told me he made the tough decision to lay off his employees so they could at least file for unemployment to make it through this difficult time.

When Congress made emergency funds available for small businesses, it seemed like a step in the right direction. But one morning, shortly after the program launched, I woke up and saw a headline that read: “Why is Alaska a loser on Small Business Administration Disaster Loans?” It turned out that Alaska’s small businesses received fewer funds per capita than any other state from the emergency Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). I was outraged. How did Alaska’s small businesses get left behind? How had we let them down when they needed us most?

More details emerged and it came out that large corporations were exploiting loopholes to secure funds that had been intended to keep small businesses afloat. When Congress attempted to fix this by proposing an oversight board to ensure that the funds ended up in the right place, our one Representative in the House of Representatives voted against it. And just last week, when legislators came together across the aisle in a bipartisan effort to fix this, our one Representative missed the vote.

Since the PPP launched, I’m grateful that some Alaska small businesses have gotten temporary relief, but for many, it’s already too late. Employees have had their hours reduced or their jobs cut. Owners are closing down shops and restaurants that they have poured their life’s work into. My favorite lunch spot, a place I regularly took my daughter to celebrate a good grade or a winning soccer game, has closed permanently. These mom and pop businesses play a huge role in our lives and our communities. They deserve our support and our government’s attention.

We need our delegation in Washington, D.C. to work tirelessly to make sure Alaska’s small businesses get what they need to stay in business and keep their employees. Not only the immediate financial support for this crisis, but also the critical infrastructure projects such as roads, ports, broadband, and low-cost energy that provide the foundation upon which all small businesses depend on to succeed. I’m disappointed that Congress did not act quicker to provide sufficient immediate support with the necessary safeguards. I am frustrated that our one Representative failed to join the bipartisan effort for greater oversight. Now, more than ever, Alaska needs a hardworking Representative in Congress who will work with our state leaders to bring home what our small businesses need, and the staying power to follow up and make sure it really gets done. We’re all tired of the partisan finger-pointing and blame. The stakes are too high to allow these political games to get in the way of what is needed.

We will come back from this crisis stronger and even more resilient. As we begin to rebuild our economy, our work must be guided by our Alaskan values of self-sufficiency, hard work, and strong communities. Small businesses are central to these values. Large corporations and big box stores come and go, but small businesses have remained a reliable driver of Alaska’s economy and will be a critical part of our comeback and shared future. As your next Congresswoman, I will be a proud champion of Alaska’s small businesses and I will work every day to provide what they need.

Alyse Galvin is a nonpartisan candidate for Alaska’s U.S. House seat. She is a founder of Great Alaska Schools.

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