March 2020 File Photo provided by Gov. Wolf
HARRISBURG – Governor Tom Wolf this morning doubled down on the counties which are defying his COVID-19 mitigation orders and going from red to yellow on their own. Those counties include Schuylkill, Dauphin, Lebanon, and Lancaster counties. Columbia County is considering it. As for local politicians who were going to switch to yellow this Friday,”They need to understand the consequences of their cowardly act. The funding we have put aside to help fight this crisis will go to the folks who are doing their part, and that includes are CARES Act funding. Other discretionary funding won’t go to counties that put us all at risk by operating illegally.”
Consequences will include loss of state health department permissions and certificates, PLCB licenses and permits, and, “Businesses that do follow the whims of local politicians and ignore the law and welfare of their customers will probably find themselves uninsured, because insurance does not cover insurance does not cover things that happen to businesses breaking the law.”
The governor also says employees can’t be forced to work at a defiant business, “Let me be clear. Employees that fear for their safety because a business has opened illegally – They don’t have to go to work. Instead, they can stay at home, stay safe, and collect unemployment benefits.”
Columbia County officials tell us they are holding a special meeting Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. via Zoom to discuss possibly defying the governor as well and move to the yellow phase. Hear Governor Wolf’s entire press conference above.
