Several local leaders put pen to paper to send a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom urging him to modify his stay-at-home order to allow local flexibility.
The letter was signed by local Senator Shannon Grove, Kern County Supervisors Mick Gleason, Zack Scrivner, Mike Maggard, and David Couch as well as Taft Mayor Dave Noerr. The letter stated in-part that the governor's plan "be augmented to empower local health officers to exercise their judgment and discretion to utilize science and local health data to move their communities through the phases in a way that works for their communities, while still protecting public health."
The letter came as a follow up to local Senator Shannon Grove's initial request for the governor to modify the stay-at-home order. It went on to say the governor's order has negatively impacted the economy of local areas, like Taft. According to the letter, leaders wrote Taft's economy "may shrink by up to 40%." due to the stay-at-home order.
"Many communities in California, such as Taft, in Kern County have been closely monitoring local data which shows a continual reduction of infections," the letter said. "This loss of funding leaves residents, businesses owners, and city officials uncertain if they will ever recover."
Sen. Grove went on to address the message further, releasing a statement saying in-part, "A strategy that works for cities in Kern County won't be ideal for Los Angeles or San Francisco. Local government should have the flexibility and discretion to navigate reopening stages in a timeline that works best for their communities."
You can read the full letter below:
