One Riverside County supervisor is pushing his colleagues to shirk the state’s newly established tier system in favor of local control over the county’s reopening process.
Supervisor Jeff Hewitt, a staunch Libertarian, is proposing new guidelines to reopen Riverside County at a quicker pace than the state allows. In a two-page proposal, Hewitt calls for immediately allowing in-person services at dine-in restaurants, wineries and breweries; places of worship; nonessential indoor offices; personal care services such as barbershops, nail salons, hair salons and body art; and indoor shopping malls.
County officials would reevaluate health metrics in preparation for loosening restrictions again on Oct. 13, this time for wedding receptions, group meetings and events. The final phase would begin Nov. 3, allowing the resumption of indoor operations at fitness centers, movie theaters and bars.
Riverside remains in the state’s most-restrictive purple tier, meaning the county’s risk level is still widespread and most industries are closed for in-person services. As of Tuesday morning, the county had counted 57,419 confirmed positive cases and 1,162 deaths.
Under Hewitt’s proposal, the county would “promote” safety measures, such as wearing facial coverings and practicing physical distancing, but not require them. Loosening state mandates would “create a shift towards a culture of safety that promotes voluntary compliance with safety measures, builds community support, and focuses enforcement on the highest public health and safety priorities,” according to the proposed guidelines.
In a memo, Hewitt touted Riverside’s welcome in January of diplomats from Wuhan, China, site of the first recorded coronavirus outbreak. Riverside made “bold and swift actions” early on, Hewitt wrote, and yet major aspects of the economy remain closed. He accused the state of shifting goalposts just as Riverside County had achieved standards for reopening.
“The state’s lack of clear guidelines has left thousands of people uncertain about their abilities to pay bills and provide for their families,” Hewitt wrote. “Today the economic impacts are clear, thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost due to the shutdown of our economy. We will feel the burden of these economic impacts for years to come. It is time for Riverside County to take responsibility for our own wellbeing.”
Hewitt’s announcement of his proposal Saturday drew attention on his official Facebook page from supporters rallying to “open EVERYTHING now” and “get back to normal.”
The Riverside County Board of Supervisors is expected to discuss Hewitt’s proposal at its Tuesday meeting, which begins at 9:30 a.m.
