Posted on 05/19/2020 5:57:13 PM PDT by lightman
The push to reopen several sectors of Pennsylvania’s economy was met with resistance Tuesday when Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed three bills that would have given county leaders limited powers to make economic decisions, as well as would have allowed certain companies to resume operations in the most restricted phase of the state’s reopening strategy.
Pennsylvania Director of the National Federation of Independent Business Gordon Denlinger was disappointed by the governor’s rejection of the bills to boost businesses.
"Many small business owners are beyond frustration with our Governor and his inability to intelligently balance the health crisis while also addressing the economic crisis in our state — there can be lives and livelihoods saved,” Denlinger said.
The three bills — House Bills 2388 and 2414 and Senate Bill 327 — were recently approved with legislative bipartisan support. Lawmakers backing the bills said the legislation would have brought back 200,000 jobs.
Shortly after Wolf vetoed the bills, he said he would allow some real estate activity to resume in Pennsylvania. But, that doesn’t go far enough for NFIB members, Denlinger said, who represents 13,000 small businesses.
"We have heard daily from numbers of small business owners who are not going to make it if there isn’t more flexibility granted soon — and other logical, safe and reasonable plans have been proposed to keep the vulnerable safe, while still offering relief to shuttered dying businesses or highly limited operations,” he said.
The three reopening phases established by Wolf’s administration are red, the most restrictive, yellow, an intermediate phase, and green, the final phase. Wolf said his administration is still working to refine how counties and regions can move to the green phase.
Most of Pennsylvania will be in the yellow phase by the end of May, however, there is no guidance in determining the next step.
Republicans and trade groups say Wolf hasn’t been inclusive throughout the coronavirus pandemic, specifically with the business community, and has ignored sound council.
"As the elected body closest to the people, it is our duty to represent their positions, and in this case, grievances with the current situation,” said Republican House Majority Leader Brian Cutler of Lancaster. "We exist as equal branches of government, and our system is designed to promote checks and balances. However, our framers never intended one person to so openly oppose the will of the people as our current Governor continues to do.”
State Senate leaders also responded with similar dismay. In a joint statement, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman said Wolf’s approach is backward.
“It’s unfortunate that he does not trust that employers can follow safety guidelines that will protect their workers and the public, who want these businesses to open again,” they said. "With his veto pen, Gov. Wolf has struck down much-needed clarity and consistency that allows communities to continue to reopen safely within the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state Department of Health to protect lives and livelihoods.”
Frequent requests throughout the shutdown made to the Governor asking to include the business community have gone unanswered, business leaders said. According to a letter dated April 11 written by Abby Foster, president of Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council, Pennsylvania ranks eighth nationally in manufacturing and chemicals is a top sector.
"The very companies working around the clock to meet insatiable demands for medical equipment and supplies are directly impacted by decisions made in a vacuum and communicated through press announcements, without any opportunity for dialogue,” she wrote.
Pennsylvania manufactures are responsible for making medical masks, including N95, and garments that repel bacteria. Not only are chemical manufacturers taking an economic hit by being shutdown, but also it affects the supply chain in Pennsylvania and the nation, she said.
"Textile is also critical for wipes, hospital gowns, drapes, blankets, surgical hosiery, protective healthcare gear, and more,” she wrote.
She called for setting up a “COVID-19 Stakeholder Taskforce," like governors in New York, New Jersey, and Ohio governors did that would bring healthcare and business representatives together to work in collaboration with the administration, state agencies, and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
No such task force has been set up in Pennsylvania.
Wolf maintains his administration is working to strike a balance between public safety also while trying to revive the economy. He said he stands by the experts he’s listening to, which include epidemiologists. He continues to argue that reopening the state too quickly could cause more economic damage if cases spike and tougher restrictions have to be imposed again.
"These decisions are not based just on the number of cases of COVID-19, but are also based on other critical factors, such as how community members interact, the county’s number of potential transmission points, a county’s geographic location, the capacity to undertake contract tracing, and testing availability,” Wolf said.
Secretary-Treasurer of Pennsylvania AFL-CIO said the union backs Wolf’s decision, adding there is a "difficult road ahead, as many employers and lawmakers have put profits before people.”
“Often time, jeopardizing a businesses’ most valuable resource - it’s employees,” Frank Snyder said. “This is not new, and we will continue to fight to keep workers safe and alive in every profession. The PA AFL-CIO deems every worker as “essential”, make no mistake. They need to be protected. Consumers need to be protected. And the jobs need to be protected, with the proper investment, resources, along with adequate retooling and retraining as jobs and careers evolve.”
The bills that were vetoed:
Senate Bill 327 - county governments could develop and implement individual plans to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Plans must comply with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the state Department of Health safety guidelines to protect workers and customers.
House Bill 2388 - waivers would have been issued to vehicle dealers, lawn and garden centers, cosmetology salons, barbershops, messenger and agent services, animal grooming services, and manufacturing operations.
House Bill 2414 would have required waivers be issued to legal services and real estate sales activities to resume.
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Ruining businesses? The damage has already been done.
Can they override his veto with a vote?
Not a question of “can” but “will”.
And the answer is NO
The GOP does not hold a veto-proof majority in either chamber.
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When did Democrats decide flatten the curve means flatten the economy?
Now, please, post some eyewash antidote pics of our lovely FLOTUS (and the loveliest in US history) STAT!
You vote RAT and get the consequences. Never vote RAT!
Don’t think there will be any left. Drudge had it at 100,000 businesses in the US gone, won’t be coming back when things open up.
She is one beautiful, classy lady!
Note that Democrats are seeing their voters being destroyed! They have to answer to them in their districts. The Governor is acting completely irrational and like a petty dictator
There is a reason why Wolf and Whitmer are going full Nazi. They have been told to burn it all down to blame Trump and they will be rewarded by Biden. It sounds sickening but the left is sick. I was born and raised in Pa. and it is really sad to see the toilet bowl politics and voters (mainly Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) run the state into the ground.
Ok. I feel better now.
Nothing is more dangerous and destructive than a lame duck rat.
Governors veto political things.
The people’s legislature voted to stop the madness. He has now thwarted the will of the people.
SWEET! (land of Liberty!)
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