Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon, ripped into Gov. Gavin Newsom following his latest lockdown order related to COVID-19.

“The governor just introduced another half measure in response to this pandemic that’s going to unfairly harm certain sectors of our economy – the same sectors who have already been hurt the most throughout this crisis,” said Flora. “He talked about relief for businesses, but for those business owners who are watching their livelihoods disappear those measures are not enough. We all agree that we have to work together in the interest of all Californians while battling this pandemic, but over the last nine months we have learned how to safely operate the very sectors of the economy that the governor is once again restricting or closing. He continues to pick winners and losers economically by executive fiat. It’s unnecessary and it’s unfair.”

Flora said he agrees with Newsom that Congress needs to pass another economic relief package. But he said “with the amount of taxes that Californians pay, there should be no excuse for state agencies to not ‘meet the moment’ even without help from D.C. The failures of the EDD, the DMV, and other state agencies are unacceptable.

“The governor is asking us to trust the state government a second time after it failed to ‘meet the moment’ (using the governor’s favorite catchphrase) the first time. We agree that schools should remain open, and we are pleased to hear that will still be the case. Californians know so much more now than we did in March. We should be trusted as individuals and as communities to manage this crisis with less top-down, draconian mandates from Sacramento. It’s imperative California has an economy to come back to once the pandemic is over.”