LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – A Kalamazoo lawmaker is proposing legislation that will provide small businesses relief if they are affected by road construction work.
House Bill 5524 will be introduced by State Presentative Julie Rogers next week and would establish a road construction business loss reimbursement program, offering up to $15,000 per year to assist small businesses.
Rogers says the bill would create what she calls a “practical, targeted backstop” so that months-long projects wouldn’t force businesses to lay off staff or close due to unexpected street closures or projects that extend significantly beyond their scheduled end dates.
“We all want safer roads and smoother commutes, but we cannot ask small businesses to absorb the cost of long construction delays.”
Businesses applying for funding would need to demonstrate a significant decline in revenue using average profits over the prior three tax years.
Rogers says grants would prioritize applicants based on criteria such as rate of revenue decline, duration of construction, proximity to construction, severity of traffic disruption, and lack of pedestrian access.
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