NEW HOLSTEIN, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The Tavern League of Wisconsin is pleading with congress to provide relief as more and more businesses close their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
One day after Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order advising residents to stay home, the Tavern League is turning to federal lawmakers for help.
At Strike Zone in New Holstein, now is when business is usually picking up.
“We usually have birthday parties lined up over the next few months,” said Mark Puetz, the manager of Strike Zone.
“We had two, so we’re going to let them come in for those and the rest of the time we cannot afford to keep the bowling alley running.”
Puetz tells FOX 11 the Strike Zone has only made about a third of the revenue that it typically would to this point in a normal year. He says he could see it coming in the spring, so he got a part time job cutting grass in the summer for the City of Kiel.
“As we sat for a couple weeks, I knew I would have to do something.”
He says now it is time for Congress to do something, or else Strike Zone could be hitting the gutter.
“It’s been brought up on how many months we have left if we don’t get help before we would have to put the building up for sale.”
The Tavern League of Wisconsin wrote a letter to the state’s congressional delegation. Part of it says, “Please, for the sake of small mom and pop businesses in Wisconsin do something. Without immediate assistance we cannot survive any longer.”
“I do think particularly when businesses are affected by state orders, you almost have a constitutional duty to make those businesses whole,” said Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-6th Congressional District.
Grothman tells FOX 11 the Tavern League’s letter a reasonable request.
In it, the Tavern League says it supports the Restaurants Act, which previously passed the house.
Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin is a co-sponsor and her office says, Republicans in the House and Senate have held it up.
“Local restaurants and workers across Wisconsin need our support now to survive this economic crisis,” said Baldwin in a statement. “Many small and independent restaurants are operating at reduced capacity and may be forced to close their doors for good if we don’t act now. The RESTAURANTS Act will create the Restaurant Revitalization Fund that will help folks in Wisconsin and across the country get through this pandemic and keep our Made in Wisconsin economy moving forward. The House passed it and now the Senate should get it done to deliver this support and relief for the American people and small businesses.”
Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher’s office says the bill is very similar to the Paycheck Protection Program, which expired in early August, despite having $135 billion left in its accounts. Gallagher signed a petition to extend the program, but despite multiple pleas, hasn’t been able to get a vote.
“It’s inexcusable that Congress has been on vacation since October 2 instead of working to help Americans get through this crisis,” said Gallagher in a statement. “Now that the House is finally set to reconvene on Monday, the Speaker needs to immediately put partisan politics aside and let us vote to extend the Paycheck Protection Program so that small businesses across Northeast Wisconsin can get the relief they need.”
As for Strike Zone, Puetz says relief is needed for many things, but most of all to guarantee the bowling alley and bar stays open at least a few more months.
