Hours before new statewide restrictions were set to go into effect, the owner of Dockside Willies in Wormleysburg, Cumberland County sat outside the business with protest signs.
"At this point I'm angry," said Donald Carter who added "I need help for my employees. They're the ones that are going to go through Christmas with no paycheck."
The owner of Evolution Power Yoga in York agreed, help is needed.
"We need money right now. And, we need money that's unrestricted," she said. She added businesses also need clear rules as she said owners are forced to decipher the restrictrictions on their own. Plus, she said "old laws that were put together in a time that never considered a pandemic can also be used against us."
Democratic and Republican lawmakers know businesses are hurting. However, both parties have different ideas on how to help them.
"House Republicans led the effort in setting a floor for restaurants where there would be a 50% occupancy. It would have stopped this shutdown. The Governor vetoed that bill," said Jason Gottesman, Press Secretary to the Republican House Majority Leader.
Gottesman criticized the Governor's decision to close indoor dining at 12:01 am Saturday and the latest round of restrictions that he said are 'devastating' businesses.
"Right now the general assembly (in Pennsylvania) is constitutionally out of session, " said Gottesman, which means that the legislative body cannot meet until new members are sworn in this January.
"I don't think that there's anything that we can do to help folks between now and January unfortunately," said Sen. Jay Costa, a democrat from Allegheny County, who acknowledged the legislative break was also causing an issue.
Costa pointed to a $4 billion proposal recently unveiled by Democrats that would pump $800 million into small businesses and $1 billion in unemployment compensation. The plan calls for dipping into the state's rain day fund to the tune of $200 million and borrowing that democrats claim can take advantage of low interest rates.
"Unfortunately, we can't get our colleagues in the Republican party to want to support us," he said.
Both Gottesman and Costa acknowledge, it would be beneficial for the federal government to provide help. However, they both have different ideas on what party is to blame for not acting further.
"The federal government should be acting. They haven't acted for many many months now and have left the states hanging in a variety of ways," said Costa.
"A lot of people in this building were hoping for additional federal stimulus money to help people like in the restaurant industry," said Gottesman.
"This isn't about being stupid. But, it is about being consistent. The malls are open and the restaurants are going to be closed," said Carter.