San Mateo County Supervisors on Tuesday approved $1 million in small business relief funds as small businesses in the county face financial strife amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Supervisors voted unanimously at a morning meeting on Tuesday to take the money out of the Measure K pot, a ballot initiative county residents approved in Nov. 2016 which is a half-cent sales tax extension to support essential county services and to maintain or replace critical facilities.
The new money comes just a month after the board approved a $3 million allocation of Measure K funds to seed the San Mateo County Strong Fund, a COVID-19 recovery money pot.
About $1 million was dedicated to individuals and families needing assistance for basic needs, another million for operating non-profits that provide services for vulnerable residents and another million for small business relief.
With the new funds, supervisors hope to help about 100 businesses in the county like the Half Moon Bay Review, a 120-year-old newspaper which on Monday sent a letter to the Supervisors asking them to be “seriously considered” for funding.
“Our local newspaper, the Half Moon Bay Review, has been severely affected by the economic fallout from COVID-19,” said Review Director Roy Salume. “Under all the criteria in the resolution, I believe that we would certainly qualify as an applicant.”
Salume said in the letter that when the coastside community and businesses recover, “they will continue to depend on and need the Review.”
