Good afternoon,
On Wednesday Governor Walz issued new re-opening guidance for shuttered businesses in Minnesota, and I am very troubled that he continues to pick winners and losers in the business community.
Restaurants, bars, and churches have been working with the administration in good faith, developing safety plans that will better protect employees and customers from contracting COVID-19 while visiting their facilities. Rather than trusting them, Governor Walz continues to follow some aggressive modeling that has most people shaking their heads due to the inconsistencies.
What evidence do we have that its safe for 100 people to shop in a big box store but it's not safe for more than 10 people to gather at an outdoor church service?
What sense does it make to keep a campground closed through Memorial Day weekend, yet allow it to reopen just days later on June 1?
Why can a 25 percent indoor capacity be allowed at a salon, but you can't let one person come eat inside of a restaurant?
As I look around our district, I see a number of restaurants that don't have the ability to serve customers outdoors unless city streets are shut down. And how does this help them if we have stretch of lousy weather?
I have to thank the city councils in our district who are taking a hard look at the governor's orders and determining ways to help their struggling businesses and to be as accommodating with them as possible - such as closing streets in order to allow restaurants to serve diners outdoors.
Too many businesses around the state have already closed for good thanks to Governor Walz' guidance, and it's clear there will be more to come if he doesn't end these inconsistent decisions.
Be well,
Nathan