Pa. making changes to life-essential business list

Amid criticism about who was included, Pennsylvania officials are eyeing revisions to the state’s “life-sustaining” business list.

One of the changes: Laundromats, which had been ordered to shut down, will now be moved to the life-sustaining category, a spokeswoman for Gov. Tom Wolf confirmed Friday.

“The administration is working with businesses, stakeholders, local officials, and health professionals to refine the list based on feedback we are getting from the field. We will provide updates as those decisions are made,” spokeswoman Lyndsay Kensinger wrote in an email to the Times Leader.

Some critics, however, are opposed to Wolf’s entire approach to business closures.

“Unfortunately, your order came with no notice, limited details, and insufficient explanation. It has injected chaos and uncertainty into an already trying time and placed more concerns on employers and workers,” U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Middleburg, wrote in a letter calling on Democrat Wolf to immediately rescind his order.

That order was announced Thursday afternoon, giving businesses just over three hours to shut down.

“While protecting public safety is government’s top priority, your sweeping order disregards the guidance set forth by public health officials and puts at risk our long-term economic security,” Keller’s letter reads in part.

“On top of all this, the order may have a devastating long-term impact on our economy. When this pandemic abates, as all healthcare experts say that it will, people will need jobs, supplies, and a way to restart our previously strong economy. Your order hinders these efforts, putting our national security — and individual financial security — at risk.”

Wolf on Thursday said he had “hoped for voluntary compliance so our public safety officials could focus on assisting with the crisis.”

“Unfortunately we have not seen full compliance. We have no time to lose,” Wolf added.

Kensinger stressed that Wolf’s decision comes as state officials are looking to combat “exponential” growth of cases, especially in urban areas and southeast Pennsylvania.

“The health and safety of all Pennsylvanians remains the highest priority, and the governor must do everything in his power to stop the spread because that will prevent worst-case-scenarios – thousands of sick Pennsylvanians, many deaths, and an overwhelmed health care system,” she wrote.

House Republican leaders on Thursday blasted what they called Wolf’s “ill-prepared actions,” predicting “an economic blow to every worker in the state right now (with) ramifications long into the future.”

House Democratic leaders on Friday responded to say criticism of Wolf’s decision to use emergency powers to shut down non-life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania is off-base in light of the most up-to-date medical guidance for dealing with COVID-19.

“This unprecedented national public health emergency demands leadership from all levels of government. This is a matter of life and death, without hyperbole,” the Democrats’ statement said. ”That’s a reality we all need to confront. In conjunction with top medical professionals, the governor is leading our state and working to make the best decisions based on medical evidence. Every hour we see more of that evidence in front of us.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Health Friday confirmed that there are 83 additional positive cases of COVID-19 reported — including one new case in Luzerne County, bringing the total here to two and 268 statewide.

Kensinger stressed that the closures are for for non-life sustaining brick and mortar operations.

“Businesses should still operate if they’re able to telework or, as in the cases of restaurants and bars, provide takeout or delivery services,” she wrote.

“Businesses which are listed for closure but believe that they could help mitigate this crisis by providing a life sustaining service, will be given an opportunity to apply for a waiver,” Kensinger added.

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National Federation of Independent Business

NFIB, which represents 13,000 small and independent businesses in Pennsylvania, understands the importance of public health and the governor’s good intentions to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

What is of concern to the NFIB, though, is that small businesses are confused by the list provided by the state in many cases. That is often the case when a busifness is part of the supply chain for life-sustaining business, and when the order doesn’t seem reasonable.

“NFIB staff has been inundated with calls last night and today from small business owners who don’t know if they are to close or why they should close, and are caught in limbo,” said Gordon Denlinger, state director of NFIB in Pennsylvania. “A coin laundry owner has angry customers who want to wash their clothes due to the viral outbreak, but laundry services have been ordered to shut down. Machine shops must close, but what if they produce medical parts? Plumbing wholesalers are on the list to stay open, but what about the local plumber with a customer who’s water is out — the list doesn’t clarify that. These are the types of questions we are getting.”

The state government did provide two emails now set up for businesses to inquire about whether they must close or if they want to apply for a waiver. To request a waiver email address: RA-dcexemption@pa.gov, and for questions about whether a business needs to close: ra-dcedcs@pa.gov.

“Many business owners remain uncertain, but want to make sure their employees are safe and they do the right thing in this health emergency,” Denlinger added. “They also face massive financial threats which are not resolved as states and the federal government work to resolve these issues.”