Is it time to let Fresno’s non-essential businesses to reopen? City leader makes a case
The call to re-open Fresno’s small businesses grew on Monday with the voice of a second member of the Fresno City Council.
Councilmember Mike Karbassi, who owns a small business, said he’s calling on state and local leaders to loosen the orders to close small businesses deemed nonessential during the coronavirus pandemic.
Big box stores are operating without strict requirements for masks and other COVID-19 protections so it’s time to let small businesses open while maintaining safety guidelines, he said.
“My colleagues support big corporate businesses like Walmart being open when you can go to Walmart and customers aren’t wearing face masks,” Karbassi said. “There’s no reason why in my family business, I can’t sell someone an area rug, standing six feet away, disinfecting and wearing a face mask.”
Councilmember Garry Bredefeld has expressed his displeasure with restrictions on businesses deemed nonessential by the city leaders. He spoke against the emergency orders when they were first announced.
Karbassi called for orders to be lifted by May 7.
“Think of it as a dimmer (light) switch, a gradual re-opening,” he said. “The threat of coronavirus is not gone, but we need to start having the conversation and implementing reasonable measures to ignite our economy again.”
Fresno’s worsening economy is reflected in new municipal budget projections. Administrators said Thursday early estimates have the city’s budget facing a dip of about $39 million for the rest of this fiscal year and through the next year, compared to previous predictions. The city is working with a $1.1 billion budget this fiscal year.
Before city leaders could allow businesses to rejoin the economy, Gov. Gavin Newsom would have to lift statewide orders.
Recovery
Mayor Lee Brand announced last week the Fresno Recovery Advisory Committee, what is essentially a think tank about how to give a jolt to the city’s economy. Twenty-five business people and elected officials have been named to it so far.
“We need to start planning now so our residents and businesses can be fully prepared for the gradual process of economic recovery and a return to normal routine,” Brand said on Wednesday. “I am engaging community leaders from every facet of our economy to provide essential input so we can be ready to move forward in a deliberate and reasonable way without jeopardizing the health of our residents.”
Potential lawsuit
Bredefeld has said multiple times during public appearances that the city’s order is leading to the death of small businesses.
More than 2.7 million Californians have filed for unemployment insurance in the last five weeks as the coronavirus pandemic keeps people at home. Numbers specific to Fresno are not yet available.
Appearing on KMJ radio on Friday, Bredefeld said he was considering a lawsuit against Newsom to force a lifting of the orders.
“We need to speak out and stop this,” he said on the radio show. “And elected officials better get off their asses and do something.”
He declined to discuss the potential lawsuit on Monday but said he plans a news conference on Tuesday to make an announcement.
