Op-Ed: Governor’s Extension of Power Carries Unprecedented Responsibility to CT Citizens

Op-ed as it appeared in the Brookfield Community Gazette

By Craig Miner

Under the heading of Civil Preparedness Emergencies, the Governor’s power is almost without limit.  During our lifetime executive orders have been used mostly for severe weather events.  All have ended shortly after power was restored and roads cleared. Even after 9/11, emergency orders eventually disappeared, and life went on.

Today is far different. No one knows when this emergency will be over. Governor Lamont has yet to clarify what benchmarks or goals would need to be reached to move past this point.

The majority of Connecticut residents, myself included, have supported most if not all of the Governor’s directives designed to keep us safe.  In the last 60 days, 133 people in CT reportedly died from COVID-19. Compared to the prior four months when 4332 perished, we are on a better path.  But during the same period, the list of failing or failed business has grown.  We also have a looming state deficit that rivals the Great Recession. So while I hear praise, I also hear anger.  Landlords are struggling to support their families because they have not been paid rent despite many tenets receiving an extra $2400 per month in federal aid.  Businesses operating under the 50% capacity rule are struggling and the people they employ are at risk of their jobs disappearing. People want to know: when do we move to some form of phase 3?

Governor Lamont’s extension of his emergency power to early February carries with it unprecedented responsibility to all Connecticut citizens.  Every order now in effect should be completely reevaluated and designed with benchmarks to clearly indicate when we can return to “normalcy.” The Governor should be redoubling his effort to find solutions so that Phase 3 businesses can open in some form so they too might survive.  School reopenings thus far have been managed well and collaboratively. That model of collaboration should be applied to all other matters that remain before us.