The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
Republican Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Majority Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
Democratic Leader
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Mr. President, Speaker Pelosi, and Leaders McCarthy, McConnell, and Schumer:
The National Parking Association (NPA) salutes the administration and Congress for its strong and committed response to the American people and business community in the face of the Coronavirus to mitigate its direct and indirect economic impact on our citizens. The declaration of a national emergency and strong bipartisan relief support for workers and their families and businesses is much needed.
The parking industry is an essential part of the nation’s transportation and hospitality infrastructure and is being devastated. This $131 billion industry with 581,000 direct employees, who live paycheck to paycheck need your help. The parking industry supports the hospitality, airline, business and healthcare community with parking services.
We are facing $9 billion a month in revenue losses. We respectfully request for the parking industry to be recognized as part of bailout of the airline and hotel industries, as we are a direct supplier to them. An empty parking space is no different than an empty airplane seat or empty hotel room.
The parking industry contributes more than $175 billion impact to GDP through direct, indirect and induced impact. Total parking industry related employment spans nearly 1 million workers in the public& private sectors—including suppliers to the industry.
We request a $5 billion stimulus infusion
of grants & loans.
Volumes have declined as much as 80%, resulting in massive and immediate furloughs and layoffs. This first mile, last mile infrastructure industry, which supports the cities and the hospitality industry, is reeling from the financial devastation of this crisis, which is worse than the impact of 9/11.
Parking industry cash flow is collapsing and there are major contractual and payroll obligations to be met. Every single parking company will likely furlough at least 50% of its workforce that number is fluid based on closures and mandatory shelter in place directives.
As the Administration and Congress look at providing meaningful aid, we call on you for your support to take steps to help the parking industry bridge the effects of the Coronavirus COVID-19 on the parking industry its employees.
We respectfully ask you to:
1. Name the parking industry as a national essential service as part of the transportation infrastructure in consideration for federal aid. Parking will be a critical infrastructure in the recovery process when people get back to work. We support all the demand generators that in turn support our cities and citizens.
2. Extend unemployment support as close to 100% of income as possible for hourly workers, who are laid off or furloughed. Extend unemployment benefits to temporarily furloughed employees in parking for both the public and private sector, as soon as possible. If workers are working at reduced hourly or salary rates; get aid to those people as soon as possible. Limiting unemployment benefits to companies with less than 500 employees does NOT support the majority of the parking workforce. Regional and national industry employers have in excess of 500 workers. We need your help.
3. Provide $5 billion in grants and loans to aid industry workers and help companies service debt. We ask for your help to include parking in the airline stimulus infusion. Our industry needs a stimulus infusion, interest free loans, a moratorium on sales, parking and corporate taxes, as well as suspension of debt service payments on real estate loans, corporate debt and capital leases. In addition, we need protection on workers comp and health insurance claims for those affected by Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, our largest employers don’t qualify for small business loans and are in grave danger.
4. We support the March 16th letter from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to you on the following measures: payroll tax relief, loans for small business and credit facility for large businesses.
The parking industry seeks immediate aid to sustain the industry to manage the economic fallout resulting directly from the coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic.
No business large or small or its workers should find themselves unable to meet their financial obligations. We believe, as does the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, that this is a temporary event. It is vital at this moment to have your support to aid citizens, families and businesses to help prevent their bankruptcy.
We are doing our part. Already four of the largest parking operators: ABM Industries, LAZ Parking, REEF Technology and SP+ have donated the use of 20,000 locations nationwide for COVID-19 testing, noted on the U.S. Chamber Foundation Corporate Aid site.
We will be glad to meet with the appropriate White House officials for emergency measures to further our cause and save the industry. Thanks for your willingness to fight for American citizens, jobs and businesses. If you have questions or wish to arrange a meeting, please contact me at 202-309-6369 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Christine Banning, IOM, CAE
President, NPA
Alan Lazowski, Chairman & CEO, LAZ Parking
Immediate Past Chair of the NPA Board
cc: The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
United States Congressman, House Minority Leader (R-CA)
United States House of Representatives
The Honorable Steven Mnuchin
Secretary
U.S. Department of Treasury
Mr. Larry Kudlow
Director
National Economic Council
The Honorable Elain L. Chao
Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation
The Honorable Jovita Carranza
Secretary
U.S. Small Business Administration