Fasano Statement re: Gov. Lamont forming/joining groups to look at re-opening businesses

Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) released the following statement in response to today’s announcement that seven states including Connecticut will form a multi-state council to develop a plan to eventually re-open businesses closed during the coronavirus pandemic and Gov. Lamont forming an “advisory group” also to look at re-opening policies.

“I am disappointed that today Connecticut still does not have a plan to eventually reopen businesses when safe to do so, and nothing announced today moves us closer to action. I was expecting to hear details of what Governor Lamont thinks are the prudent and necessary steps for Connecticut to take to get our residents back to work. Instead, we learned of a plan to form a plan, through the creation of more bureaucratic bodies including a 21 person multi-state administration system and a state organization that is still not yet formed.

“We need action now. Action does not mean reopening every business tomorrow, but we need a strategy for how we will reopen in a safe manner that is focused on the issues and experiences in Connecticut. We need to give people answers and hope. If governors want to consult with one another that can be helpful, but Connecticut cannot wait on six other states, including states that do not even share a border with us, to agree on a path forward. We need to identify actions to help our residents today by getting them back to work to receive a paycheck, particularly because the unemployment benefits system in our state has been so unreliable. We need to be talking about solutions with our governor and lawmakers who were elected by the people to represent them and who are accountable to the people of our state. Our residents didn’t elect Gov. Cuomo or Gov. Murphy. Our state is not the same as Delaware or Pennsylvania.

“I was hoping to see movement forward today. I was hoping to learn about the governor’s ideas and plans to eventually reopen our state. But all I heard about was more layers of government. Every day the Governor doesn’t have a plan for Connecticut, his team is failing Connecticut small business owners and our hard working middle-class residents.”