b'LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORPVA Advocates for SecondAT THE HELMRound of CERTS in 2022JOHN GROUNDWATER // EXECUTIVE DIRECTORO n the heels of the second and fi nal distribution of Coronavirusthe Alternate Security Program (ASP), PVA is on your side on a EconomicReliefforTransportationServices(CERTS)variety of important operational issues and programs. If you have Programgrantstosuccessfulapplicants,PVAcontinuespaid your dues, please accept our thanks. If you have not, please do so towork,alongwithotherlobbyingorganizationsintheU.S.to support our work for all PVA members. transportation sector, to urge Congress to authorize an additional $6 billion for CERTS grants for 2022.PVA ANNUAL CONVENTION AT MARITRENDS 2022Planning is underway for an in-person PVA Annual Convention TheargumentforadditionalfundingisrootedinthefactthatatMariTrends2022,February5-8,inLongBeach,CA.Weare theeff ectsoftheongoingcoronaviruspandemiccontinueenthusiastic about the prospects for gathering PVA members together tonegativelyimpactpassengervesseloperators,motorcoachfrom all corners of North America for this exciting annual PVA companies, and school bus operators and that, as a result, currentevent. Watch your email for our convention call for presentations. estimatesindicatethatitmaytakefromWe hope to hear from you about your ideas two to three years for these industry sectorsfor presentations and topics and we expect to recover.toassembleaconventionprogramthatis second to none. I look forward to seeing you WhileCongressapproved$2billionforin Long Beach.CERTSin2020,datafromtheTreasury DepartmenttheagencychargedwithPVA FALL REGION MEETINGS ARE administeringCERTSestimatesthatNOW VIRTUALCERTS program applicants lost $8.7 billionFebruary 5-8, 2022 As you have no doubt heard by now, PVAs inrevenueforthatyear.Asaresult,weHyatt Regency Long Beach face-to-faceRegionMeetingshavebeen believethatadditionalCERTSfundingiscancelledbecauseoflingeringCOVID-19 warrantedforourindustryasitstruggles Long Beach Conventionconditions and resulting lack of registrationsto recover. and Entertainment forthemeetings.Intheirplacewehave Long Beach, Calif. scheduledvirtualregionmeetings.While APPEAL FOR CERTS TAX EXEMPTION this is not how we expected things to turn UnlikethePaycheckProtectionProgramout,wefeltstronglythatweneededto (PPP), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and other recentquickly develop a virtual alternative that would allow PVA members grant programs which are all non-taxable, CERTS grants are taxable.togettogether,reconnect,andexchangeinformationabout However, PVA is working, along with its partners, to urge Congresspressingindustryissues.Whatwehaveproducedareshortened to make CERTS grants tax exempt. We contend that requiring thesevirtualmeetingswithaformatthatisdedicatedtohavingopen struggling businesses to pay back a sizable portion of these emergencyroundtable discussions. Over the years, many of you have stressed grants in taxes will further delay their recovery.We will keep youthe importance of having informal discussions with other members informed as events on the Hill unfold. and that the level of information exchange and learning increases dramatically during these discussions. When reviewing these new 2022 PVA MEMBERSHIP DUES virtual programs, you will notice that roundtable discussions now As you may know, the PVA Board of Directors approved reinstitutingmake up a substantial portion of the new programs. Because you the PVA Summer Billing Program and invoices for 2022 membershiphave also told us that presentations from the Coast Guard about their dues were sent out in August. The Summer Billing Program wasnew initiatives and priorities are also especially important to you, created to assist PVA members in paying their dues during theirwe have included at least one Coast Guard representative to meet most active months of operations. So far, we have received a positiveyour request. response to this program and many of you have paid your dues forFollowing are examples of the roundtable discussions planned for 2022. This helps greatly. Your support of PVA through your dueseach PVA virtual region meeting:directlyunderwritesPVAsworkonyourbehalf.Whetheritis lobbying on the Hill, working with the U.S. Coast Guard, providingRoundtable Discussion: Employment Challengescrew training, providing staffexpertise on Coast Guard inspection issues, giving advice and guidance on implementing, or maintaining Workforce AvailabilityContinued on page 34OCTOBER 2021 7 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'