Dear Editor:
Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Rachel Levine, and the PA Liquor Control Board have both refused to testify in front of a House panel that is investigating the recent “targeted mitigation order” regarding bars and restaurants.
Meanwhile, Levine and Gov. Tom Wolf refuse to disclose the data they’re using to close bars and severely limit restaurants’ operations.
Seriously, what are you hiding that you won’t release the data or answer questions from the legislature? If these decisions were made using sound data, then why the secrecy?
Wolf, is this how democracy works in 2020? You make unilateral decisions with zero legislative input and then hide the data from the public.
You don’t even have the courage to justify your decisions, then the executives of your departments hide when asked to testify to the public?
Does that seem like open and transparent government?
This is the United States of America and this not how government is supposed to operate here.
Unfortunately, the General Assembly does not have the same subpoena powers as Congress. However, if you’ve had enough of these abuses of power, I need your help by contacting your representative and senator asking them to support and cosponsor the following resolutions:
- HR 915:Â Â https://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=PDF&sessYr=2019&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=R&billNbr=0915&pn=3999
- HR 878:Â https://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=PDF&sessYr=2019&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=R&billNbr=0879&pn=3790
The inability to get an answer from our governor on direct questions about our industry is an issue.
We are the only industry at 25 percent operational stature, but yet all convenience stores are running pretty much wide open with no interruption, as well as all the big box stores.
We are extremely passionate about our staff and guests’ safety and have taken major steps in these safety procedures.
Our staff is often verbally abused by the public for following these mandated guidelines from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Protection and Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
But yet we are attempting to keep our staff working so they can take care of their families under extraordinary conditions.
Please note we are not “all in this together.” We have been individualized by government mandates that have not been applied the same to all businesses in the commonwealth.
We are a small business community without deep pockets to ride out these uncertain times. We are the backbone of most communities, but yet we have been penalized the most during this ordeal.
It is time the governor is reminded he is a servant of the people of Pennsylvania and needs to be more transparent about the decisions that affect so many small bars’ and restaurants’ operations.
We request that we are returned to 50 percent operations in order to keep so many businesses from closing forever.
Thank you,
Dennis Liegey
President
Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub
