Survey highlights business damage, anxieties about ending shutdown

A survey of nearly 600 executives in the region, focusing on Sarasota-Bradenton and Lakeland, reveals, for the most part, these areas mirror the national conversation in two ways: economic carnage and confusing and conflicting views on when to end the shutdown.

On the economy, while 38.55% of respondents say they have retained all their employees, at least 45%, the survey shows, have done some combination of furloughs, layoffs, pay reductions, hour reductions and benefit cuts. In regard to business results, nearly 6 out of 10 respondents, 58.21%, say monthly sales in March and April declined at least 50%. Another 17.44% say the decline was between 21% and 50%.