COVID-19 has wreaked havoc globally being the first pandemic of the 21st century that has spiraled into a multitude of issues from the obvious being a global health emergency but also creating global, national and local economic turmoil. Many business, small and large, have been forced to closed their stores temporarily. Some small business may not be able to regain their losses and would have to close their doors. With the closure of business, also comes the furloighing and dismissal of employees. Some of these employees are hard workers who might have to live paycheck to paycheck and they might now be unable to pay bills and make a living for reasons out of their control. A solution for many people to pay their bills and get ahead with life during times of economic uncertainty is pawnshops. Pawnshops provide people a way to get money and be able to live. Pawnshops have been known to be useful during times of economic distress. During the 2008 financial crisis pawnshops were a lifeline for many Americans who dealt with the struggle of a recession. COVID-19 has caused economic turmoil that has promoted the federal government to pass a stimulus bill to try to stabilize the economic downfall that is happening. Today, March 31st, Governor Newsom has announced that 1.6 million Californians have filed for unemployment benefits. Millions of Californians are harshly experiencing the economic effects of this crisis. This is why it is crucial to keep pawnshops open as a way for people to get quick cash to pay off their rent and other bills. In Miami-Dade county in Florida, pawnshops were deemed unessential. The State of Florida later deemed them essential as a they provide financial assistance to many. A NBC San Diego article from today responds how "People turn to Pawn Shops for Rent Money". These financial institutions are crucial for people,especially the low income community. The County of San Mateo is labeling pawnshops as unessential but this clearly isn't the case. This economic and health crisis doesn't affect people equally across wealth categories. People need these pawnshops for money for basic necessities such as groceries and other household items but also for rent and other bills. This is why we urge the County of San Mateo to deem pawnshops essential.

Thank you