Posted on 05/10/2020 3:56:05 PM PDT by lightman
It’s deeply disappointing and downright dangerous that some members of York County political and business leadership, including some paid by the very taxpayers that they should be protecting, are essentially encouraging York County business owners to defy the governor’s orders and open.
This irresponsible defiance by some of our leaders puts business owners, their clients, their customers and the entire York community at risk of further spread of COVID-19, a deadly virus that has already killed 13 of our neighbors and sickened more than 700 York countians in recent months.
This is a time when leaders must have the courage to protect our community. It is not a time to cite a specious “study” that’s clearly intended to sway public opinion away from the interests of health and toward the whims of large corporations that disingenuously claim they represent small business owners.
More: York County DA won’t prosecute nonessential businesses for violating shutdown order, tells police not to cite them
More: Study: 30% of York County businesses could fail in coronavirus fallout
Health comes before profit. Our small business owners know that, and they’re adhering to guidelines even though it’s painful. The York County Economic Alliance and other business proponents should not be sacrificing small business owners by encouraging them to open, just to shield and/or justify the opening of large corporations.
Conversely, the economic alliance should be directing its full energy to assisting small business owners, those who are truly vulnerable, in developing innovative solutions, including e-commerce and other creative options.
Leaders should not be slyly encouraging these vulnerable small business owners to defy the governor’s order, an act that will, among other things, result in the nullification of many small business’s insurance policies. These policies will not cover small businesses while operating illegally under an emergency order that was legally (and courageously) extended by their governor.
Leaders encouraging small businesses to defy the governor’s orders will unfortunately be leaving these businesses open to prosecution by the state. They’ll also be leaving them open to slip-and-fall lawsuits not covered by insurance that’s been cancelled due to illegal reopening. Small business owners will also be potentially vulnerable to wrongful death suits brought on by families of patrons who contract the virus.
Or are local leaders intending for these businesses defying state orders to have every customer sign a disclaimer prior to entering the store, a statement indicating that they understand they are violating state law and disregarding the urgent guidance of health experts? Maybe just a quick form that mentions they might be made gravely ill and could possibly die, and that they might make others potentially gravely ill and/or dead by violating the order? Will the disclaimer also note that each patron waives their right to sue if a box falls on their head or they trip down the front steps? Will there be a notary set up outside the store, just so it holds up in court for the two-to-four people per day who actually show up with the confidence to shop?
Studies have shown an overwhelming majority of citizens nationwide from both parties (74 percent of Republicans and 94 percent of Democrats, per The Economist) do not think we are ready to start reopening. Those citizens are united in their strong belief that stopping the spread of the virus is even more important than resuming business activity.
Is it worth incurring all of this liability, given that most people will not be shopping or otherwise visiting businesses that open before it’s safe? Most people are barely comfortable visiting the grocery store once a week at this point, let alone entering a nonessential business where the owner was cavalier enough to open against orders and against health advice.
Any patron will be thinking the obvious: A business owner who is cavalier enough to violate the governor’s order and open too soon is also likely among those who have put themselves and others at risk by failing to wear masks, failing to social distance, failing to wash hands and failing to take other safety measures.
It’s also worth adding that, by pushing to open too soon, local business and political leaders are actually delaying the restart of the economy, because reopening too early will cause even more people to become infected and die. A recent Wall Street Journal headline put the issue in stark relief: “Officials Warn of New Coronavirus Surge As States Reopen.” It’s also worth noting that York County’s number of infected citizens continues to increase every day.
Most people understand that what’s right, in this case, might not be convenient. But like Gov. Tom Wolf, they are willing to do the difficult thing because the difficult thing is the right thing to do.
We just need York County leaders to catch up to that reality and stop bowing to a vocal minority. Any antics pulled with reopening early are really just going to have the opposite effect as more people contract the virus. Most importantly (and it’s sad that this even has to be stated), we should be protecting citizens instead of putting them at risk by prioritizing the profit of York County’s largest businesses.
— Bill Swartz is a resident of Spring Garden Township.
Swartz is part of one of the “old money” dynasties.
So is Tom Wolf.
“We locked down. So we didn’t see 2 million dead. If we did nothing in March, we might. Want to take that bet?”
Yeah, I would take that bet. This virus is no worse than a flu. Your fear is pathetic.
Agreed. Those are very low percentages.
Another USA Today owned Left Wing POS
I live about 8 miles south of York County. The county is nothing like the City of York. I used to drive to York to patronize Gander Mountain. Alas, they are gone.
Check your math.
700 infections out of a population of 449,000 = .15%
300 deaths out of a population of 449,000 =.06%.
My county Ventura county on May 7 demanded ALL long care facilities to re-admit positive CV19 patients back into the nursing homes, this is being done deliberately to hype up the numbers I am totally disgusted with these people there is NO other reason for this insanity!!!!
There are 83 political subdivisions within the County.
Spring Garden is one of two "First Class" Townships which is definitely turning bluer each election cycle. Swartz lives in the Fourth Ward which is truly flip-a-coin purple.
My county, Ventura county also is the county that wants to be able to REMOVE people from their homes if the test positive YET these bastards can place the elderly BACK into an environment to infect everyone else in a VERY HIGH RISK area I have absolutely had ENOUGH of this BS!!
The reason is called EVIL
link to what?
What was Gander Mountain?
learner evidently didn’t know how to use Google street view and thought there was a link to the picture of the Swartz house.
I offered a quick tutorial.
Yep. My bad.
L
If they don’t keep things shut down, they can’t stuff the ballots coast to coast in November.
People can wait in lines at grocery stores but OH NO for a month leading up to the election.
I saw Leftists irate that Bernie is still on some primary ballots, saying that it will needlessly bring more people to the polls. WHAT ABOUT THE DOWN BALLOT PRIMARY RACES???
They only want your straight party vote (or will manufacture one in your name). They don’t want “you” to actually have a say in all of those other races.
300 deaths out of a population of 449,000 =.06%.
That changes my mind. WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pennsylvania ended straight-party voting, part of the same act which permitted "no excuse" mail in ballots.
Would be nice if the state location is in the title
Oh please, shut the hell up. It's not mutually exclusive to want to open up early *and* wear masks, social distance, wash hands and to take other safety measures.
Just shut the hell up. I really want to know the writer's employment status.
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