Seeking to assist small businesses threatened by fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Canton has announced a "License to Recovery" program that will zero out a firm's occupational tax.

The program is for locally owned and operated businesses with 50 or fewer employees. Authorized by the mayor and City Council, the initiative allows city staff to refund occupational taxes paid to date, or to waive those taxes for businesses that requested an extension.

“The last couple of months have been anything but normal” for local business owners, Mayor Bill Grant said. “We know that having operating cash is important now more than ever for these entrepreneurs, and this program of rebating occupational taxes will give some of that cash back to help with recovery.”

Total collections of occupational taxes so far this fiscal year exceed budgeted revenues by $128,000, the city said. The rebate program is expected to cost less than $350,000.

Applications must be submitted by July 31. Information, and to apply: https://bit.ly/36BYYSJ