Who said this? (You won't believe it!): "Let me be clear: we should not bail out large corporations that have enjoyed years of growth and prosperity. I won't support it...The people that need help the most are small businesses, hourly workers, people who rely on tips, and gig economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers"...

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Who do you think said this yesterday?

"Let me be clear: we should not bail out large corporations that have enjoyed years of growth and prosperity. I won't support it...The people that need help the most are small businesses, hourly workers, people who rely on tips, and gig economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers"... insisting on a 60-day moratorium on "mortgages, rent, fees and utilities for both individuals making less than $75,000 a year and small businesses with less than 250 employees."

Was it Bernie Sanders?

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?

Elizabeth Warren?

No, it was Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL)!

In NY, Cea Weaver, Campaign Coordinator for Housing Justice for All, writes, "In two days, rent is due for millions of New Yorkers. More than 75,000 people have called on Governor Cuomo to cancel rent and immediately rehouse the homeless. But he still has no plan for the the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who have lost income, are unable to pay the rent, and will face eviction when Housing Court reopens...On April 1, thousands of New Yorkers won't pay their rent. By May 1st, that number could grow to a million."

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, noting that half of New York State residents are renters, writes "Right now, we're in a moment unlike anything we've ever seen. Because of coronavirus, unemployment is projected to hit a larger percentage of the population than the Great Depression. My constituents are worried about whether they'll be able to afford rent next month.New York has already issued a mortgage moratorium. That's good. But if we don't also enact a rent moratorium, New York will essentially be providing relief to people based on class. Relief and protection from displacement shouldn't just be for homeowners and the wealthy. It should be for everyone. Look. A rent moratorium is possible. It's not about a lack of money, capacity, or logistics. It's about power and political will. So let's leave no doubt about where we stand."

Citizen Action of New York notes "Housing is healthcare. An eviction moratorium is the first step, but right now it's critical that every New Yorker is safely housed, especially those who are currently without homes or most in danger of losing their homes due to loss of income. We are calling on Governor Cuomo and state legislative leaders to implement an immediate suspension of rent, mortgage, and utility payments, a full moratorium on evictions/foreclosures-- for renters and homeowners, and investment in safe, affordable housing for every New Yorker.

"Working people across New York State are facing lay-offs and struggling to pay rent and buy basic necessities. This problem will not disappear once the threat of COVID-19 has passed, and the eviction moratorium is lifted. Forgiving rent and mortgage debt accumulated during this period will help keep New Yorkers in their homes and stabilize our economy and our state."

Citizen Action of New York has a petition here.

On March 16, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state was ramping up its response to the coronavirus outbreak with an executive order that allows for moratoriums on evictions.

In the UK, "The government has ordered a moratorium on commercial landlord sanctions for at least three months, meaning tenants who miss rent payments because of coronavirus can keep their leases."

If you know of more places placing a moratorium on rent and utilities, please comment below, rent is due in just a couple of days for many Americans!

Authors Website: http://www.OceanViewArts.com

Authors Bio:

Meryl Ann Butler is an award-winning artist, author, educator, and Managing Editor of OpEdNews, where her articles and other contributions have received more than 4.5 million views. She has written for OpEdNews since 2004 and has been Managing Editor since 2013. In 2015, her work on OpEdNews passed one million views with her article about Bree Newsome's removal of a Confederate flag; she was delighted that this particular story carried her across her first million-view milestone. Her article topics range from art, creativity, spirituality, women's issues, and feminine empowerment to politics, social justice, and the occasional irresistible absurdity. Her popular Art & Creativity series includes nearly 200 articles and has received more than half a million views. Butler has been creating and teaching art for many decades. Her artwork, in a wide variety of media, is in collections around the world. She is the author of two quilting books, including a niche-market bestseller. Her adventures have included two trips to the former USSR as a citizen diplomat, where she spoke in Moscow and Odessa and met with artists, craftspeople, and fashion designers about using the arts as a tool for global wellbeing. In 1987-88, she created the historic First US-Soviet Children's Peace Quilt Exchange Project with a school in Odessa, an exchange that brought the first reciprocal quilt from the former USSR to the United States. Butler's assorted roles have included journalist, international workshop facilitator and speaker, labyrinth designer and builder, founding member of The Labyrinth Society, entrepreneur, Renaissance woman, proud gramma and, on one memorable occasion, unexpected babycatcher, when the midwife was stuck in traffic. Interviews & Features Media appearances include an interview about her Near Death Experience and how it influenced her art on the JeffMara Podcast, with over 17,000 views. Her YouTube channel, @Merylannb, features "Visionary Artist Meryl Ann Butler on Creativity and Joy," "The Art of Creating Wellbeing Amidst Chaos (Art vs. Tyranny)," and "How to Stitch a Quilt in 90 Minutes with Meryl Ann Butler," which has over 79,000 views.