A virtual roundtable has been held by Senator Richard Blumenthal with the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on their communities.   The companies on the chat expressed numerous concerns including how pay rent and utilities and how to keep people employed. 

Chamber President PJ Prunty helped to organize the gathering.  Blumenthal says the larger businesses expressed concern about making payroll, drops in revenue, and lack of a cash cushion.  

Blumenthal called the discussion heartening, but also challenging to hear the difficulties businesses are experiencing with resoluteness and resilience, trying to keep employees on payroll and meet their bills.  

He told businesses that he is pushing for loans that could be converted to grants and forgiven if they continue to pay their employees during this public health emergency.

The U.S. Senate passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to support families, workers, and businesses through an expansion of paid sick leave and unemployment insurance, in addition to offering no-cost testing for patients and protecting access to nutrition programs. Previously, Congress approved $8.3 billion in funding for state health care response and research. Congress is also discussing billions of dollars in additional relief. 

Blumenthal says any one-time cash payment will be insufficient, especially in Fairfield County where rent is high.  He wants unemployment compensation raised so it's not just a fraction of payroll.