Local legislators say Inslee’s latest reopening plan a shining example of partisan politics | Columbia Basin
MOSES LAKE – Republican lawmakers in Washington’s 13th legislative district are accusing Democratic Governor Jay Inslee of playing “partisan politics” after allowing seven counties in the central Puget Sound area to enter Phase 2 of the “Healthy Washington” plan this week.
Counties in the West and Puget Sound regions moved to Phase 2 on Monday. That includes King, Pierce and Snohomish counties in Puget Sound and Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific and Thurston counties in the West region.
Counties in Phase 2 will be allowed to resume limited indoor dining and other entertainment activities such as theaters and gyms.
State Representatives Tom Dent of Moses Lake, Alex Ybarra of Quincy, and Senator Judy Warnick of Moses Lake say they’re concerned that this new plan is based on political partiality than scientific metrics…
“When I saw the details of this latest reopening plan, I said to myself, are you kidding me?” exclaimed Dent. “Our communities have been patiently waiting, in many respects doing the right thing, but are unacceptably left out of this.
The three lawmakers pointed to the fact the areas slated to reopen are the most densely populated regions in the state.
“Having been shut out of this entire process for a year, it’s past time the legislature weigh in on these decisions with science and facts,” Warnick said. “It doesn’t make any sense that these regions would be allowed to open when our communities in rural Washington have demonstrated they can manage this crisis. This decision doesn’t build the public’s trust.”
“If we are to take an honest look at the data and metrics, no one should be opening right now, but many regions of rural Washington are a lot closer than some of these urbans areas who can suddenly reopen,” said Ybarra, R-Quincy. “The plan unfortunately looks a bit like partisan politics.”
The trio say they’re pushing their fellow legislators to quickly implement a more scientific and common-sense-based approach to reopening. Senate Bill 5114 is a measure that would immediately move all of Washington into Phase 2. The bill has been making the rounds at the capitol, and has reportedly received broad public support during committee hearings.
