In order to encourage people to stay indoors and isolated to slow the spread of COVID-19, we must protect their incomes. Many people are still going to work and will continue to do so if they cannot rest assured that their expenses will be covered and they will be able to provide basic needs for themselves and their families.

This goes for businesses, too: we all have operating costs, whether it be rent or a mortgage we have to pay each month, utilities, or licensing fees and other taxes. Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax has written a letter proposing we suspend all those payments for 120 days. This letter, full of this and other proposals, can be read here: https://www.ltgov.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/lieutenant-governor/assets/images/Press-Release-18MAR20.pdf

We depend on the Virginia Governor and State Legislature to act on this, for the good of all of our communities. We cannot organize this ourselves because people will act in their best interests, and many people still see that as going to work to provide an income throughout this crisis. We are awaiting action from our federal and state governments to provide an income and slash our expenses in order to keep us all afloat.