Marko Mlikotin: As COVID-19 social distancing guidelines ease, now what?

For the past several months, Americans have been quarantined in their homes. No work, no play. But this has been changing as the state eases COVID-19 restrictions on shopping and dining, and how we spend our time in public spaces. With extraordinary precision, government agencies used their police powers to quarantine the American people and consequently, shut down our nation's economy. The peak of the pandemic appears to have passed and our political leaders should be applauded for heeding extraordinary caution to keep us safe. But now what? This pandemic has had serious economic consequences for employers, employees, masses of victims large and small. Some of Folsom's mom-and-pop businesses, including the iconic Sutter Street Grill in the city's Historic District have shuttered their doors forever. Even as stay-at-home orders ease, many more businesses will not survive social distancing guidelines that are intended to keep us safe by limiting the number of customers who can shop or dine at any given time. The simple reality is that limiting foot traffic is economically unsustainable for many small business owners, many of whom are our friends, neighbors and civic leaders. If California continues its current course, the state could face greater than a 25-percent unemployment rate or nearly one in four of California's civilian workforce could be out of a job. To underscore the severity of the economic crisis, the Great Recession (2007 to 2010) peaked at 12-percent unemployment and economic recovery took years, not months. Despite these sobering figures, some economists are pointing to early indications of economic recovery, crediting a national economy that was fundamentally strong before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. If short-term recovery is possible, it will take more than simply placing "open for business" signs in store front windows. More is required and urgently. Small businesses, in particular, are looking for significant restructuring of our state's business environment. Prior to the pandemic, California's high taxes and onerous regulations earned itself the reputation of being one of the worst places to do businesses in the country, and deservingly so. Over the past decade, thousands of businesses and billions of dollars in capital fled the state, and the pace will only accelerate if the state's much anticipated post-pandemic recovery plan is merely doubling down on the failed economic policies of the past. While some patiently await news from our State Capitol, the Folsom Chamber of Commerce and city of Folsom wasted no time enacting their own economic recovery plan and long before many of the stay-at-home orders were relaxed. Their plan helps local employers reduce overhead expenses as profits decline by suspending many business fees, permits and regulations. Underscoring the urgency, Folsom was the first city in Sacramento County to petition the governor to allow counties greater flexibility as to how and when to reopen their economies. They made a convincing case and prevailed. All the while, the Folsom Chamber accelerated their "#FolsomStrongerTogether" campaign that aims to get residents to shop and wine and dine locally. The importance of this marketing campaign cannot be understated. When you buy local, you help a Folsom business pay rent and pay workers, and the sales tax revenue they generate funds critical city services such as public safety, schools, roads and parks, all of which are essential to protecting our quality of life and home values. Online sales do little to rebuild our local economy, generating jobs and tax revenue for communities that host distribution centers. I am confident that Folsom residents can commit to shopping local. It would not be the first time. During the Great Recession, Folsom enjoyed the lowest unemployment rate and home foreclosure rate in the region, and critical public services were spared significant funding cuts. Folsom is a prideful community and its people will fiercely defend their quality of life. Let's shop and dine locally as if Christmas comes in July. Folsom's employers, workers and public services depend on it. This is our path to economic security. Marko Mlikotin is a Folsom resident and a small business owner.