PINEHURST – The United States Golf Association (USGA) plans to create a multi-building research and testing campus in the Village of Pinehurst, Governor Roy Cooper announced this week. Unfortunately, due to the negligence of our Republican General Assembly, many small businesses who could have greatly benefited from this deal won’t survive to see it.

“I am very supportive of any initiative that brings attention to this community and I commend Governor Cooper for his work to secure this deal,” said Helen Probst Mills, Democratic Nominee for Senate District 25. “It is crucial that our Republican leaders in Raleigh, like Tom McInnis, fight to save our small business, not just their corporate cronies.”

Republican additions to House Bill 1105 meant that the legislature’s plan to focus small business assistance on a program that won’t help any business that has laid off more than 10% of its workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. This regulation unfairly targets restaurants which have greatly suffered throughout this pandemic.

“Small businesses like mine need help, saving community businesses must be a concern for all lawmakers,” said Ashley Van Camp, owner of Ashten’s Restaurant, Southern Pines, NC. “Politicians in Raleigh are letting politics get in the way of helping people. It’s time for my Senator, Tom McInnis, to put aside his politics and come to the negotiating table in good faith and finally give small businesses like mine the assistance we need.”

Our small businesses need real assistance, not platitudes and good intentions. If Republicans in Raleigh really cared about small business owners in Anson, Moore, Richmond and Scotland counties they would give them the helping hand they need.