State Sen. Bartolotta: Wave of stay-home protests express public’s frustration
Sen. Camera Bartolotta
Trista Thurston/Observer-Reporter
State Rep. Pam Snyder
Rep. Tim O’Neal
The wave of protests over stay-home orders is understandable and examples of how frustrated the public has become over leaders who have harmed economies during the COVID-19 pandemic, a state senator said Saturday.
“Everyone is sick of it,” said Sen. Camera Bartollota, R-Carroll Township.
Protests are planned Monday in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, following other similar rallies that have taken place in Ohio, North Carolina, Utah, Kentucky, Minnesota and Michigan.
“Everybody is absolutely fed up,” Bartollota said, adding organizers of these rallies have been demanding a plan for reopening the economies.
Bartolotta’s comments Saturday came on the same day the state health department announced a second COVID-19 death in Washington County.
Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday said he was making plans to reopen the economy at a time when the state appeared to be making progress in slowing the spread of the virus. However, he provided few details of his plans.
Various groups are expected at 12 p.m. outside the Capitol complex in Harrisburg to opposed Wolf’s stay-home order.
State health Sec. Rachel Levine said she hoped the protestors stay in their vehicles and practice self-distancing to be safe from the virus.
“I have concerns if they congregate in a large crowd, Levine said. “I would worry very much about the health of those individuals.”
She said there are many indicators that need to be considered before making any decisions on how to begin easing self-distancing requirements.
“This is not going to be one grand reopening of the state,” Levine said.
State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Fayette/Greene/Washington, said the Constitution gives these groups the right to rally and protest, but she also is concerned about their health if their members don’t practice social distancing.
“I sincerely understand that people are frustrated. These are tumultuous times,” said Snyder.
The Washington County Legislative Delegation has also expressed a desire to be part of efforts to reopen its economy and support for Senate Bill 327 that would give counties the option to develop their own COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
This bill was a product of a bi-partisan task force to address how we open the economy after it’s determined the crisis is over, said state Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-South Strabane.
“We need to ensure that we have processes in place to bring our economy back online to make sure people can return to work and start to make a living again,” O’Neal stated in a news release.
He said giving counties some control would work in areas where the outbreak is not as severe as it is in other parts of the state.
“I think the local control is the appropriate way to go,” he said.