Dear Governor Ohio Elected Officials,

On behalf of the undersigned Ohio businesses and representative organizations, we hope this letter finds you well and your family healthy. The Covid-19 pandemic has suddenly and significantly affected the lives of every person in our great state and united us behind a collective goal of restoring life to normal. This is particularly true among Ohio businesses – large and small – forced to close or transition online while trying to maintain a workforce and stay afloat during this crisis. Ohio businesses are proud to serve their communities and, however possible, provide stability in these uncertain times. To that end, we need your help. 

In the best of times, hundreds of thousands of Ohio small businesses use free and low-cost digital platforms and business tools to start, operate, market, and grow their business. Access to online tools enables websites, analytics, digital ads, online marketplaces, and e-commerce platforms to empower retailers, restaurants, service providers, and Ohio small businesses of all types. Now, more than ever, businesses and the Ohioans they serve benefit from the stability, scale, and security of these tools. Now is not the time to disrupt those services. 

During a pandemic, when many storefronts are shuttered and businesses that are still running are operating entirely online, it is the wrong time to demand changes in digital technology operations and business models. Now more than ever, businesses need their access to digital platforms and online tools to be stable, market-responsive, and affordable. Government regulation and court-ordered solutions will inevitably slow down our recovery and add fear and uncertainty. It will be difficult enough to recover from the current crisis without pulling the rug out from businesses that use online tools and digital technology. 

Your administration has always been supportive of our state’s small businesses and those leaders helping to grow the economy and support our communities. We look forward to providing any information, data, or insights that could be helpful to understand the interconnected nature of small and large businesses in the digital economy when appropriate. 

As Ohioans work together to spur our economic recovery efforts,  your leadership and voice on behalf of businesses like ours is more important than ever. Please continue to support small businesses and our recovery by ensuring we have access to the many digital platforms, tools, and programs helping us survive today. Give us the resources we need to recover and keep Ohio in business. 

Thank you for your consideration,