Governor threatens funding cuts to county, calls commissioners “cowardly”
POTTSVILLE – Two days after Schuylkill County Commissioners notified him the county will open Friday alongside Allegheny County — which has 10 times as many coronavirus deaths as Schuylkill — and 13 others in the west, Governor Tom Wolf lodged threats and called local leaders “cowardly.”
The threats were made on Twitter and in the daily press briefing.
“I won’t sit back and watch residents who live in counties under Stay at Home orders get sick because local leaders cannot see the risks of [COVID-19] and push to reopen prematurely,” Wolf wrote in a Twitter thread. “Today I am announcing consequences for counties that do not abide by the law to remain closed.”
Wolf said non-compliant counties, like Schuylkill, Lebanon, and Dauphin, would not be eligible for federal stimulus discretionary funds, and that, instead, they be passed over for “counties working to stop the spread of [COVID-19].”
“The politicians who are encouraging us to quit the fight are acting in a most cowardly way,” Wolf wrote.
Consequences would not only be lodged against counties themselves, but potentially businesses within them, he said, noting that businesses would potentially jeopardize liability insurance protections and that dine-in restaurants would risk receiving a citation.
In addition, Wolf said to residents, “If your county reopens prematurely and you don’t feel comfortable returning to work, rest assured that the commonwealth will allow you to continue to receive unemployment compensation, even if your employer reopens.”
Schuylkill County, in addition to the entire remaining eastern half of the state, was excluded from the slate of counties set to reopen May 15, despite a request from local leaders on May 7, touting local efforts to stop the spread.
County leaders followed up on the request May 9, after leaders realized Schuylkill was left out.
“Schuylkill County has met the requirement of your original Stay-at-Home Order, which was to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 outbreak and allow hospitals the time to gear up for COVID-19 patients being admitted to the ICU and in need of ventilators,” the officials — commissioners George Halcovage, Gary Hess, and Barron Hetherington, State Senator David G. Argall (R-29) and State Representatives Jerry Knowles (R-124) and Mike Tobash (R-125) wrote. “The residents of our county have heeded your instructions to practice social distancing and other mitigation efforts, and as a result, our local healthcare facilities do not lack the capacity to effectively treat these patients going forward.”
The letter says that supplies of personal protective equipment and COVID-19 tests have increased since mid march.
“We, as elected officials, have a vested interest in keeping our community safe and free from disease, and not over-burdening our health care facilities in the county,” the letter continued.
Governor Wolf announced the first slate of counties moving to yellow phase on May 1, which included Northumberland County in our area and most of northwestern and north central Pennsylvania. Those counties moved to yellow effective May 8, lifting the stay-at-home order but continuing to prohibit gatherings of 25 people or more, among other items.
On May 8, the governor announced the next slate of counties moving to the yellow phase effective May 18. The newest slate included all other counties west of Fulton, Blair, and Bedford, minus Beaver, that weren’t in the previous set, minus Beaver County. The new slate includes Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh.
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GOOD FOR WOLF!! Counties do not have the power to move phases. The US Supreme Court gave that discretion to the Governors. If they want to put people at risk, they shouldn’t get any discretionary money.