BOISE, Idaho — “I spoke with the governor’s secretary," said Idaho News 6 reporter Madeline White to Paul McNabb, owner of McNabb's Tattoo & Fine Arts. "You will not be disqualified for that grant based on your criminal history."
"Oh that’s good," said Paul.
Like many similar businesses in the Treasure Valley, Pauls’s tattoo parlor is closed, which he said is putting him at least $8,000 under. When he applied for the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), he found out he was ineligible for relief because of his criminal history.
Paul was released from prison in 2011 after serving a sentence for a robbery he committed when he was a teenager. He is now 33.
“I pay taxes just like everybody else does, and when I got in trouble, [it was] when I was 19 years old. 14 years ago. And not that that matters, but it’s just like, why is there no help given for people that have felonies? Like [are] their businesses not worth keeping or protecting?” said McNabb.
When Paul heard Idaho was giving more funding, he was hoping it would be a way to get some help for his business.
Small business owners in Idaho can receive up to $10,000 in cash grants through the Idaho Rebound program. The grants are open only to Idaho businesses who received less than $10,000 in the SBA’s PPP, EIDL or received no loan at all.
All loan applicants must get a Taxpayer Access Point (TAP) account in order to protect personal and business information on submitted applications. All eligibility criteria, information on how to apply and instructions on getting a TAP account are available here.
Information on those who receive cash grants will be shared on the Transparent Idaho website when it is available.
Idaho businesses with 19 employees or less may apply at noon on May 11 and ones with 50 employees or less may apply starting at noon on May 18.
