Covid curfews hurting small-town economies

We, the Central Montana Tavern Association Board of Directors, are writing today to express our many concerns about the grievous implementation of closing times (curfews) being imposed on local bar and restaurant establishments.

We operate in very different areas that range from communities from as little as 100 people to over 6,000. Not only does this curfew affect our ability to serve our patrons, it negatively impacts our ability to keep our employees at work, off unemployment, and other government services that should be preserved for those in real need.

We are certain that the hospitality industry statewide would agree, larger businesses are taking a substantially higher losses — into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The state sales-tax revenues are also declining because the industry has been placed under a curfew mandate — while all the big box stores and the like, are operating at their discretion. We only ask that we are given the same opportunity.

Without the ability to maintain normal business hours, we are affected financially, which in-turn is affecting our local groceries, suppliers, local utility companies and all of their employees just the same. These local companies employ local families who are unable to spend their money in our small groceries and local shops. It is affecting the ability for us Montanans to fulfill the dream of keeping good paying jobs that allow us to stay in our homes, with our families. We can easily see what a drastically negative effect the curfew has had on our local communities, obviously it is much more severe in larger areas.

Our world is facing a pandemic. All citizens have clearly been made aware of the measures that need to be taken to ensure we all are as safe, and healthy as possible. The social distancing, mask mandate and quarantine parameters should be more than sufficient to slow the spreading of Covid-19. As in the past with numbers of positive cases of illness, much of the fear being spread is only exacerbated by placing citizens on extreme shutdowns.

Not only is the country in financial turmoil, but our businesses are shutting down, and mental illnesses are rising. Families are struggling to make ends meet, keep food on the tables, and provide stable homes for their children.

Business owners have turned theirs and their employees’ lives upside down to follow the protocols that were said to be put in place to slow the spreading of the disease. The social distance spacing has already decreased revenues substantially, the negative trickle-down has already been more than apparent all over the state. If the curfew is not lifted, revenues will continue to decline forcing more Montanans to rely on unemployment and eventually, Montana businesses into financial ruin.

In closing, we believe that the responsible decision is to lift the curfew mandate, allow businesses and citizens to follow the rules set into place, exercise personal responsibility, and get our businesses back to some sort of normalcy. Please support us, and all Montana establishments by contacting your local representative, and urging them to help us make a change for the betterment of business owners.

—Central Montana Tavern Association serves Fergus, Judith Basin, Petroleum, Wheatland, Golden Valley and Musselshell counties.