Community

On COVID-19 Relief for Small Businesses, Wheeling Officials Don’t Plan To Stop With B&O Tax Rebate

The first step toward a B&O tax rebate for small businesses in Wheeling struggling in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic came this week. City leaders don't want to stop there, and are looking at additional ways to bring help to local retailers.

Wheeling City Council had a first reading this week for an ordinance enacting a new, one-time B&O tax rebate.The ordinance is expected to be adopted following a second reading Feb. 16.

"(W)e're not thinking that's the end here," Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott said. "We're going to be looking at other ways to provide some additional relief."

Elliott said he has already talked with City Manager Robert Herron about looking at different opportunities where Wheeling could offer additional assistance. Those could come in other tax rebates or credits, loan programs or other grants. Additional measures are expected to be brought through the Finance Committee of Council in the near future.

The ordinance discussed this week would help businesses with 25 or fewer employees. Ones that are current on their 2020 B&O payments could get a one-time credit on the tax for the first quarter of 2021.

"The goal of this program is to assist the small businesses so they may be able to continue operations in this struggling economy," Councilman Dave Palmer said.

While many businesses have been faced with economic challenges in the wake of the shutdowns and restrictions imposed during the pandemic over the past several months, municipalities like the city of Wheeling have been able to stay afloat fiscally, thanks in large part to federal CARES Act funding that has been distributed by the state to municipalities reporting monthly losses related to the pandemic.

Wheeling Vice Mayor Chad Thalman said the CARES Act funding and the fiscal prudence of the city staff has allowed the city to take steps to help local businesses in need.

"We are happy to be able to provide a bit of relief to our small retail businesses who may be struggling because of the pandemic," Thalman said.

Elliott added that city leaders are keeping a close eye on developments in Washington, D.C., as federal lawmakers continue to negotiate additional relief packages. He said he has talked to West Virginia Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito about what may be forthcoming with a new stimulus bill. He also asked them to encourage Congress that any aid given to cities goes directly to cities and not through governors' offices.

"This will speed things up, will hopefully let those funds have more flexibility and put them to work in our community, in particular give some relief directly to businesses," he said.

Elliott said hopefully issues in Washington on the next relief package gets hammered out within the next few weeks.

"Whatever is done, we'll make sure that we're in a position to … get some help to those businesses," he said. "I know a lot of businesses are still hurting, and we're going to do what we can."

Elliott also said the annual State of the City Address will be delivered possibly in June or July and not in February as usual. He hopes it will be feasible to do so during an in-person gathering if the pandemic improves to allow it.