El Paso Standard

El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce CEO Cindy Ramos-Davidson says small businesses in the city aren’t asking for special treatment, but neither do they think they should be ordered to close when larger companies are doing business as usual.

“Small businesses have told us that they feel that everyone needs to shut down and not just a select few,” she told the El Paso Standard. “They feel that they have not had a direct voice into any of the rules and regulations of the COVID-19 shutdowns since back in March.”

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego issued a shutdown order for businesses deemed non-essential businesses Oct. 30, citing the high rate of COVID-19 cases. On Wednesday, Samaniego extended the order to 2 a.m. on Dec. 1.

El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce CEO Cindy Ramos-Davidson. | El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Ramos-Davidson said the local shops, stores and operations are doing all they can to keep customers and their employees safe.

“Many of the businesses have shared with us they had already implemented the COVID-19 safety precautions and have been practicing those safety protocols,” she said. “That they are ensuring their employees are doing what is right, as they know they need to protect themselves, their employees and their customers. It is our understanding that the based on the city/county data, the spread is big-box retailers, family visiting, travel to Mexico and backyard private group gatherings.”

Ramos-Davidson said they also would like a seat at the table during these discussions. Their businesses are being greatly affected by decisions without their input.

“Our businesses know that there are rules and regulations they must follow as a business owner,” she said. “However, due to the pandemic they feel they should have had a voice in creating solutions that are more equitable and not so drastic yet keeping with safety protocols which they understand is priority.”

Being forced to close after months of declining revenue will tremendously damage to these companies, Ramos-Davidson said. More jobs will be lost, less taxes paid, vandalism will increase, as will other crime, and, sadly, people will die because of a loss of income and the added stress of the shutdown orders.

“What we understand is that about 25% of businesses in El Paso have already shut down and more to come,” she said. “In addition, we have about 7% that are in the process of considering filing bankruptcy.”

Ramos-Davidson said its role as a Hispanic chamber is to work primarily with small, minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses to communicate, educate and inform them on “all aspects of business rules and regulations while trying help them find alternate solutions to continue to build their dreams, feed their families and those of their employees and contribute to El Paso’s economy.”

There are approximately 50,000 businesses throughout El Paso, including home-based businesses, start-ups and other companies.

“Many of our business owners rely on cash – especially being so close to the border,” Ramos-Davidson said. “Many of our small businesses are financially fragile. The median business with more than $10,000 in monthly expenses may have only about two weeks of cash on hand and the majority of our small businesses have also expressed only having enough cash on hand to last two months or less.”

There are additional challenges, including a lack of technology to access resources online or to sell online.

“We are working to deploy these resources and assistance to these businesses via CARES programs,” she said. “Most of the businesses in our community don’t have the resources or do not know how to transfer their businesses to online or how to upgrade their businesses by using technology.”

They are without websites, cannot accept electronic payments and have no social media accounts. Ramos-Davidson said they need assistance to survive.

“Cash is king," she said. "They need relief. [Officials should] consider halting property taxes, sales taxes, create incentives to support during the shutdown and when it is over, expand grant dollars to stay afloat, big-time help with salaries to keep employees, help with rent, utilities, maintenance, technology, forgivable loans and overall supply chain and inventory support. Many [business owners] can’t pay their vendors and are stuck with inventory they won’t be able to move in a shutdown.”