Oroho to Murphy: Let’s Not Continue to Lag Our Peer States in Reopening

Senators Hear from Restaurant & Hospitality Industry on Reopening Plans

As a member of the Senate Fiscal Recovery Strategy Workgroup, Senator Steve Oroho participated in a virtual meeting today with restaurant owners, operators and caterers throughout the hospitality industry in the state to hear their comments and advice on how to advance their businesses’ safe reopening.

“Business owners and their employees in the restaurant and hospitality industry have planned, prepared, and are excited to get back to work under the protection of detailed protocols they have developed to maintain hygiene and safe social distancing for both workers and customers,” said Oroho (R-24). “It’s a shame that while restaurants across the Hudson and Delaware rivers have been trusted to reopen safely, New Jersey’s eateries remain shuttered under Governor Murphy’s executive orders. If the governor would approve industry-specific reopening plans that have been proposed, we could successfully open up many of our restaurants and retailers tomorrow, not days or weeks from now.”

In the local region alone, Pennsylvania started reopening restaurants on June 5, New York started in certain areas of the state June 4, Delaware began on June 1, and Connecticut started way back on May 20.

“When it’s so difficult to run a business in normal times, it can seem impossible for many to get back on their feet after having been shut down for so long,” added Oroho. “Every day we don’t allow our small businesses to open their doors to a larger flow of customers is a day closer to permanent closure for far too many. Let’s give them the relief they deserve by getting rid of bureaucratic delay and giving them the green light to reopen with the appropriate safety protocols in place. That time is now!”