Industry sign banking arizona job offer simple
so thank you again Steve for for joining me for a call this afternoon I know this is likely a very busy day for you as the state kind of reopens partially for restaurants we've got a lot of restaurant owners from southern Arizona and business owners on this soon call so wanted to make sure that we got a chance to ask you any questions my name for those that don't know me I'm Leah Marcus Peterson and I serve on the Arizona Corporation Commission and we regulate your utilities and and telecommunications to a certain point and handle business incorporation and I'm the former president of a Tucson Hispanic Chamber for about the last ten years and I certainly have known Steve for many years in his role because Steve if I recall you've been at the Arizona Restaurant Association serving as their president for more than 18 years is that correct that's great and then he's also a supervisor for Maricopa County uh County Supervisors so he wears many hats throughout the state and I thought it'd be great to hear your perspective I know I myself and probably you also see that participated in a number of webinars over the last several months or couple months as people have talked about what is common 19 mean to our business and then how do we recover from this I have read so many social media posts and articles that relate to this and I know everybody's concerned is now too soon to reopen is it not soon enough I think governor Ducey has handled these challenges quite well from my perspective and that he's really trying to listen to the medical and healthcare professionals as he's deciding and at the risk Arizona takes and reopening and but I know you're in the Phoenix area Maricopa County I live in Pima County in the southern part of our state so I think between the two of us we might have an interesting perspective as we talk about the recovery of Arizona is there anything you'd like to add to your introduction they really don't say oh and what many people don't understand English are coming last year was thirteen point four dating micron and that's just people going to eat and restaurants & dining and we ability welcome to being through the house of people across Arizona that amounts to listen to us abundantly heart chorus through the loss of life about unfortunate consequences of government Burton Berkeley industry greatly especially a right certainly and you could move a little closer to your phone Steve I think it was little light hard to hear you a little bit better okay and I think I'm since I know mid-march or so our Arizona Corporation Commission hosted a meeting March 16th to talk about our emergency preparedness from our utility companies so we regulate electricity water waste water gas telecommunications to a certain perspective and we needed to hear from all those companies related to how they plan to keep their customers safe and certainly their employees safe they've committed not to disconnect not to charge late fees I've been working nonstop on kind of customer relief efforts and low-income discounts and just all kinds of different programs and I know a lot of folks certainly focused on their families and residents but the small business community I think has been so hard hit so many of our restaurants fall into that space can you talk a little bit about the restaurant industry and how it relates to your Maricopa County Supervisor position also and any relief restaurant owners might have been able to find beyond utility that I can talk more about well and thank you to your colleagues for the another yes great help as you know and we've seen several different things first and foremost be through the generosity of our suppliers throughout Arizona to the restaurant industry we're able to raise over 325 or so thousand dollars to help our display sport course I mentioned TV as a few minutes ago that our daily payroll was 40 million dollars that's they reduced about 3 million dollars per a we've laid off about 65 to 70 percent of our employees and they were hurting they're hurting really bad we've just like many other Arizonans work who lost their job isn't by the fact that when it comes equipped unfortunately coded 19 that all being said the greedy Arizona restaurant strong and essentially what that comprises is it's a simple form to fill out if you are currently receiving unemployment if you have born at your employer for six months or longer and of course in the restaurant industry then you would be eligible for a $500 grant we were proud to say that we are able to turn that around the next 72 hours of the phonics and your Trinity's nimble agile and quick as we could and so we helped a lot of displaced work there's an industry across Arizona places legality you know existed you know from offer to see their list of the Tucson to the Phoenix area up in Flagstaff usually a crisscross of the state which was really terrific now we're seeing some municipalities for example our community I believe Scottsdale Phoenix and others who were offering some grants out to small businesses in particular restaurants we can range in size from a thousand to ten thousand dollars but we're learning more about that at distant event rate lastly become with immaturely bit about fall arrestor to nuts yeah and I know the top online first for both of us with our different official acts on was certainly the payroll protection program and with my former role the Hispanic Chamber I heard from so many small businesses that were so frustrated that certainly the media stories that it was going to learn her companies was frustrating how to work through your local bank your contacts if you didn't have existing relationships I was trying to look up prior to our call right now how much Arizona received and I can see at least through mid-april we had about five billion dollars in PPP loan come to our state about 20,000 loans and there was a ranking that we were number 15 in the nation are you hearing from restaurant owners are they receiving some of those loans or do you think they're disadvantaged in any way from receiving most that type of assistance they're seeking someone once you have heard from several of our restaurateurs who have explained to us that yes it's great to have these dollars there were some hiccups or sometimes that consequences associated with having to hire back so many of your employees in order to meet the certain metrics qualified so that gave pause to many of our rescuers because as you know as we're starting to reopen our dining rooms you're not going to need that the full of our staffing that you once had so we've been working at Congress and looking to try to solve some of those problems but it was absolutely a much-needed relief for many restaurateurs and getting those funds yeah what's interesting too I know an organization down here in southern Arizona the community investment corporation is doing small business loans also and they had a seminar or webinar just recently because so many business owners are struggling to bring back employees for making these the unemployment checks that had an additional $600 from the federal government attached to them so I think it's 8:40 a week those on unemployment receive which in some cases that the restaurants was much more than they were receiving as waiters or waitresses and so on and so I know there's been a lot of talk on how do you bring back your employees whether it's sort of PPP requirement or just simply for these software openings that are occurring across the state are you hearing that concern also very very much so especially the earlier on looks so bad about for effect anymore not across the board especially in the factory chips and everything oops I'm going to look their job instead of just taking time not in collecting unemployment we look at different mechanisms with PDS in Congress to say if after their job back and then refused then they should no longer be able to realize or receive unemployment of course they agree this was nothing just people having to work and enjoying some time off at the courtesy if I don't ever see what's interesting though found just in the recently that's what I'm prepared to be open that this has not really come to a reality that many of our employees are saying we're excited we want to come so while it's a concern and a very big one it hasn't forced itself into life as we see it as you start the restaurant visit we're done poking for is a good sign in there remains a constant I think yeah and I think we're gonna see more and more that is different types of businesses open um I was looking back at my notes - I think May 4th retail was able to open for some window service or drive-through service but certainly restaurants today for a bit of in dining dining in service and um I know I was looking at a social media post by the flood his family huland el chato and many other restaurants down here in the southern Arizona and I think Ray Floyd has put together a hundred point safety plan or something of that sort I can imagine I I'm not a restaurant owner but I can imagine the safety precautions folks are trying to put in place to keep their employees safe they're their customers safe and everything I've seen creative things online from shower curtains between tables just facing you asks and all kinds of things are you hearing from a lot of different folks are they reaching out to you for advice on safety precautions they must be taking at this time most definitely and of course as you know we worked with Governor Ducey's office of his team to make sure we could come up with something that makes the most sense as you know and as a very tangled a biscuit was in Tucson every restaurants do and you do not have a one-size-fits-all type of mentality in an operational standpoint for a restaurant so when others were saying oh you should only come out I think either side not dependency or he's random our 430 numbers we wanted to make sure we didn't go down that path and copy the governor's office because some tiny names to accommodate 65% capacity where others may only be able to do 35% so you can enhance bringing anyone that could safely accommodate their guests in their dining rooms and without without violating any type of distancing between important between guests and employees effective so what we did is we obviously work for the governor's office on guidelines that we're kinda Bannock and you're allowing us to open our dining rooms in secretive ways that was released last Monday we work as an association in fact there are hundreds of out of the members trying to get feedback working with our board of directors to come up with kind of an addendum to what the governor's office put out here are some other things that you should look at and possibly who they make those available I have not seen you at least opposed to put out and heard about it and of course the first thing you notice what they're doing when it comes to restaurants and very kindly to group of individuals and so whatever is in their planning in food but makes sense but I also want to make sure that whisper foods don't you know me at all times to acclaim username that they don't overcomplicate it some of our folks are looking at was this all you do you need to be more thinking what's appropriate for your restaurant and accommodating your guests your guests coming to your restaurant on a weekly basis or a few times a week but make sure that they're going to have that sense of safety comfort enjoyable atmosphere yeah Thank You Steven for those that might have just joined us one remind you we're talking to Steve chicory who's the president of the errors on a Restaurant Association it also is a supervisor for Maricopa County and getting his take on the reopening of Arizona and kind of economic recovery wanted to ask you Steve we had a couple questions come in on QA and there's something similar we've got from one of our those on the phone right now is it a question about whether Pima County or any County has the right to supersede governor Ducey's orders and add additional restrictions on restaurants by temporarily changing the county health code has that come before you yet the question has come up it's something that we worked with them interviews on for something because you know because it makes no sense to have a governor except for food recommendations to reopen kitchens and then have some cities they know we're not doing it we've spoken with several mayors across the city including your being here in Tucson Romero and the offender t comedy trying to understand what we're going through what we're trying to do and it's been very very productive are they at conversations and implementation and we look forward to continue to work with them to make sure they understand the concerns but at this honey as we indicated what the governor has put out through these executive order is the law of the land and a city they tried to do something differently but they do not have the legal authority to do it yeah some cities have talked about challenging that important but I don't think we're in an environment right now what anyone wants to see anyway so we're we're trying to work with cities to make sure if they have any bit of concerns let us know what they are for example I met with the Flagstaff there just last week we're going to do a webinar and if he weeks it's popular with her constituents and any issue that concerns so one of these open open as we can but also hear from people is so what we can do to make their Dunn's of studying for enjoyable so I would imagine it at this point for those on the call if they have questions about modifications being made to a County Health Department it really would speak to their their county supervisor and in this case of the apena county supervisor would that be the the best I think so I believe that you can come out with guidelines that make sense I don't think they can mandate it they would take some rulemaking Authority and I am assuming you at the county or Supervisors wanted to change something you say is certainly correct within reason but if it runs counter to what the governor stylings on it could be you need circumstance to be deciding the courts or just to see how yeah certainly and and I think also to the future of I guess small business in Arizona or even the restaurant industry at the Arizona Corporation Commission we manage business and corporation and I asked our corporations division just a few weeks ago tell me what's the difference between April 2019 and April 2020 and it's pretty dramatic as you can imagine we average about 5,000 new business and corporations a month and last month we did 2,000 so I mean as people are trying to project which businesses will survive who's got the cash flow to to keep going you know what how many restaurants will be there in in six months or a year I don't think any of us quite know that answer but are you hearing about particular restaurants closing or is everything still up in the air now is there any kind of I guess tracking from any business organization on the impact the Kovach yet on the business industry well we have seen roughly 60% of restaurants closed oh I'm sorry what percent was it that was about 60% Wow hmm well hopefully that's not the case with I know we've got many restaurant owners on the call right now and I know most of the restaurants and so on that they represent and I one mentioned in the Q&A that today was their first day of opening and they got quite a few reservations I've also heard from business owners the challenge in staffing up right now I'm preparing and not knowing what the demand will be or the need because a lot of families are uncertain the sun-filled comfort is starting to dine in and others do not want to hold off until you're a few more weeks and so that's particularly hard I think on restaurants who are trying to estimate the number of you know diners they'll have and how they staff shifts and and so on any particular advice you might have for restaurant owners is I know they're all different types and sizes but anything in particular come to mind there are several restaurants a process here in Maricopa County that have decided we're going to have a way to see approach to this we want to make sure that w
understand what the consumer demands are going to be what they expect to see in the restaurant we want to understand how many people are done come out there our buttes and coming in through our doors so it's actually chef Kevin microns some have decided we're going to stick with to go because that's really sitting as well we're going to continue there's nothing wrong with that I completely understand the respect but what's the Cure's decision to be back and that's why in working with governor Ducey's office we created some guidelines that were very flexible you can only be overly prescriptive and hurt the small guy at the big guys success or hurt the big added little guys success so it's hard to do that but I want to make sure that your participants today the key thing that we created this with flexibility that we're working best for them in the restaurant and there's no long yeah and sorry I'm sure that they appreciate that because you know one set of requirements would certainly not fit all the different businesses we have in southern Arizona Nannan I can't imagine throughout the state um and I want to remind folks if you're on the call now and you have a question to ask feel free to type it into the Q&A if you'd like or into the chat and but a few more minutes with Steve we can address some of those questions so Steve wanted to ask what's your Maricopa County Supervisor had on what kind of Kovach 19 response have you guys been attacked well we've actually been working with our doctor sunshine is just a brilliant woman that's guided missle doing significant finding we have paired her together with our emergency services divisions of rubber Valley and we're focused on what's happening here and here a couple County and how can we make sure that we're starting the Lord and not starting this information how can you ensure the work of our jail system to not have a pandemic just start you out our jails and so you've kind of been on multiple fronts oh yeah to make sure that for the greater good Maricopa County and our residents we are we are therefore they looking at trying to notify people through our contact crazy do you need and if they do they'll be come in contact with if you had cover don t need to ensure that that hasn't spread me just try to raise awareness in that way and then also working with are seeing the homie communities talking about best practices making sure that we're finding opportunities for then for those folks who may have covered the appeal from it be getting them alternative housing to ensure that no one else being effective in that they heal both to their full potential and then obviously we have our homeless community that we have to be mindful of these are to make sure that we are taking our homeless population spreading them out self-evaluate facilities so we don't have grabbing exposure in having full of people become succumb to yeah that's that's wonderful I've heard many of similar discussions happening in counties throughout the state and I think that's so important at the Arizona Corporation Commission we've really been focused on customer relief we had an open meeting last week which was all online of course for safety but we and we approved a refund of energy efficiency surcharge dollars so in ApS territory up in Phoenix and the areas they cover that was some thirty six million dollars being refunded to customers I was very proud to push through the amendment that that would occur in June in one month so they could have the greatest impact for those in TP territory that was about 8.2 million that will be refunded in the month of June again from energy efficiency surcharge funds and it's not enough but it's a start and I think beyond that were focused on low-income programs and energy-saving programs and encouraging folks to reach out to their utilities now not to wait if they're having financial challenges we've not seen unemployment numbers like this since the depression I think I've heard so we have a lot of people hurting and they need to work out payment plans and work with your utilities and not sit on this so that it continues to build and we have real financial challenges of at the end of koban 19 so working with a lot of different constituency groups Bradley thanks and we have another question Steve with your restaurant had on would there be any updates on the potential may 15th and to temporarily relax liquor laws with respect to alcohol to go out of restaurant in bars this has been a very hot topic for me so we have folks that are big believers in this and wanted those six license which allows you to do this already or concerned about it and you certainly can appreciate that understand that that being said we intend to be encouraged and asked Bevin induces office to extend the delivery of to go alcohol through the rest of 2020 you understand that it's very popular for us for towards especially 12 licensees which primarily make out our casual dining segment I thought movie are hopeful in Bellini thunder and produces outside Virginians how successful this has been we're not only that's what you were about the consumer consumers really are loving it so I think it's in Annie here and I hope it's gonna be there for the rest of it here I do want to be mindful and respect that there are strict rules you have six licenses and not to devalue that but I think that's good if you get broader discussion probably the next time you say now that that is a that is a good point so I guess they can do you send out on assuming regular communications from the Arizona Restaurant Association can people sign up for newsletters to hear about different activities yes we do and during this crisis the past seven weeks it doesn't you get enough units sending out obviously things have calmed down okay thank you that was a good question and wanted to bounce back to your Maricopa County Supervisor hat Steve I know that you're also running for reelection at this time do you want to tell folks what your website is or how they might be able to support you if they live in Maricopa County well that would be great and thank you yes this is going to be like third term which I'm grateful to the voters and constituents of district 2 for supporting the way they have and as you know coming from the chamber background is what you've been able to do in your role there not only as a business leader but also as now an elected official it's it's it's nice and rewarding to be able to see what you could be in that capacity and what we've been going to do a miracle the counties where we bring that business lights to government recently converted a one-time jail in downtown Phoenix say they're gonna require us to shut down the whole city block it's how I began to see be very disrupted we actually were able to convert it to office cities for the community people kind of chuckle and welcome to hear that but it actually is work very very well and it's it's right next to the courthouse so it's it's completely user friendly as it relates to just the only activity between the county clerk's office every NGO will utilize on courts so it's been a great success so if those who are participating in today's webinar would want to learn more about what we've been able to do and accomplish they can sort of go to my website which I said shoot pretty easy common xc8 u CRI easy thank you know certainly Stephen I also wanted to remind folks that I'm running for re-election I was appointed by the governor to this seat in May of 2019 so it's now been a year I've learned so much about our utility industry and really applied my small business experience I'm also the only commissioner on our five-member board that's not in Maricopa County so I've really been championing a lot of issues in southern Arizona and rural Arizona and bringing that perspective to the Corporation Commission I also have to run three election to hold my seat I would hate everybody support and I love clean elections candidates even a $5 donation I have to collect 1500 of those to qualify for clean election funding and that's it vote for viacom vote for Elly a.com you've got my vote yeah I'm trace key what was that thank you very much yeah because I am running statewide so any any voter throughout the state of Arizona would appreciate us their support well I want to thank you again Steve it any last minute comments or advice you have for business owners or restaurant tours that are on the phone yes I'm just your offender please look at our Arizona restaurant strong comm if you have to slice workers we we've really utilized a lot of the money already here can you anticipate having some more donations come in but I know that this is hit our industry circle terribly hard and I want to make sure that we are able to help them through these grants that we've been offering and I hope that if they have an employee or someone that maybe they know where or still can't come back to work that they can go ahead and utilize this grant process I so believe a help to them thank you say the web one more time please Arizona restaurant strong Oh Arizona restaurant strong calm I think that'll be very helpful and I just want to thank you again for your time this afternoon Steve I know that restaurants are a major portion of Arizona's economy and it's a way in which a lot of people will will judge or rate how our economy is coming back whether it's slow and steady or or or sluggish you know I think we're very worried about our restaurant industry so I appreciate your your expertise on that the the almost 20 years you've served as the president the Arizona Restaurant Association and I appreciate your friendship too so thank you again for calling in and and participating and for those that might have additional questions for Steve or need some information you can reach out to me via my website at vote for Viacom and I'll be sure to get those to him but thanks again and have a wonderful evening likewise another Kevin you - thank you good night everybody and be safe you
