Whereas, we cannot wait for or depend on government and experts to save us…

The economy is made of our labor, intelligence, and skills. It belongs to us and we can and must take care of it:

1. Rent reduction: On April 1 and until our economies have re-stabilized, both residential and commercial tenants will pay

only 1/3 of their rent in order to free up money to support other sectors of the economy besides landlords.

2. Solidarity spending: We will distribute our shopping expenditures among as many different types of businesses as possible, including both large employers and small local businesses. Further, we will consider all the people we normally do business with and try to spend or donate money with each to keep our economic networks alive.

3. Businesses, entrepreneurs, and artists: First, we understand that we must find creative ways to provide goods and services in this new lower-social-contact environment, imagine ways to reopen at reduced capacity and we ask for the support of our governments in facilitating new policy to support innovation. Second, we will use digital tools to enable patrons to donate to support venues, event organizers, artists, gyms, and other services who cannot operate. Third, we will use word of mouth to bring business back to small businesses like bakeries and shops as they re-open.

4. The food system: We will support our small farmers by going to the farm, organizing cooperative purchasing with neighbors, and work with our governments and farmers to keep open-air markets running with with extra space and longer hours.

Last, we need friendliness between strangers more than ever. Big smiles can warm hearts from a distance of meters. We must not express all the anxieties with suspicion and hostility toward one another.

19.March 2019
This plan will be continually updated through dialogue with other economists.