An Open Letter to Governor Jay Inslee during Covid-19

April 30, 2020
 
Governor Inslee
State of Washington
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 985014
 
Dear Governor Inslee –
 
On behalf of the thousands of businesses that the Pasco Chamber of Commerce represents, we ask that you provide guidance for how all businesses in our area can reopen.
 
We support your decision to open the private construction industry to resume business.  The decision was based on thoughtful review with specific guidelines of how the industry could safely resume work.  We believe this is a successful model that could be applied to most of the other businesses in our community to allow them to reopen as well.
 
Our business members have communicated the challenges they are facing and their strong desire to get back to work in a measured and safe way.  This is not a desire to return to work “as normal”, but to return to work with appropriate social distancing, PPE, and hygiene procedures, as well as clear instructions for interaction with their customers and clients.   We request your leadership in developing these types of specific guidelines that would allow our businesses to open while remaining protective of community health.
 
Time is of the essence in considering our request. In many cases, businesses that are closed have absolutely no way to replace income and are not able to receive government assistance.  This leaves them, their employees, and their families vulnerable to food and housing insecurity and a host of other social risks.  The Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to foster a vibrant local business environment and to enhance the quality of life in our region.  Your action to help our local businesses reopen in a safe and responsible manner is crucial to fulfilling our mission.
 
Sincerely,

Colin Hastings
Executive Director

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