Aurora Eyes $2.5M In Coronavirus Relief For Restaurants, Bars

AURORA, IL — Aurora officials are looking at a multimillion-dollar coronavirus relief package to help the city’s bars and restaurants survive the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Aurora Beacon-News reports.

Mayor Richard Irvin has proposed several initiatives worth nearly $2.5 million, with about half of that relief money to be sent to businesses in the form of grants, the report states.

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Officials are also hoping to provide about $1 million in relief to businesses by not collecting food and beverage taxes for three months. The city could provide a further $250,000 in relief through a yearlong pause on license fees for businesses with on-site-consumption liquor licenses, the Beacon-News reports.

About $1 million for the proposed grant program — known as the Coronavirus Emergency Relief Fund — would come from a budget surplus, with an additional $200,000 to be added to the fund through savings from eliminated City Hall jobs, the report states.

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If the relief package is approved, Aurora businesses could apply for grants between $2,000 and $15,000 from the city’s emergency relief fund, according to the report.

Aldermen on several committees have passed the mayor’s proposals on for discussion at the Aurora City Council’s meeting Tuesday.

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