Barber: Leave Decision
On Reopening County
To ‘Medical Experts’
He Criticizes Oberacker Call
To Plan ‘un-PAUSE’ Locally
SCHOHARIE – Democrat Jim Barber this evening issued a statement saying he “profoundly disagrees” with his Republican opponent Peter Oberacker‘s idea of developing a local plan to reopen Otsego County instead of waiting for Governor Cuomo to do so.
Both men are running to succeed state Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford.
While the Otsego County Board of Representatives today “voted to support a science- and information-based regional approach to safely reopen our businesses and industries, … I was deeply disappointed that Representative Oberacker voted against this resolution, suggesting his own personal experience makes him better informed as to when to begin reopening businesses in Otsego County.”
Barber applauded the county board, saying, “We all want to get back to work and restart our economy, but we must rely on medical experts and science-based criteria to guide us as we re-open businesses. This is too important to get it wrong. People’s very lives are at stake.”
I wholeheartedly agree with Barber!!!
Health regulations are not subject to a political plebiscite. The virus doesn’t get to vote. The local summer economy is driven by tourism and 2nd home owners – who could increase the rate of contagion a hundred fold in a matter of weeks. Particularly if they are from Georgia, or, god forbid, Texas.
Yes, lives are at stake. And, the businesses that accepted PPP are eager to re-open and will pressure their employees to return to work despite the dangers. Make no mistake as soon as Otsego County re-opens, visitors from all over the state and other states will be coming, and possibly spreading the disease among locals. It’s not their fault; they’ll be trusting that it’s “safe.” Then local workers will be harmed.
Maybe Seward can let Oberacker know that this isn’t a typical flu virus, and any experience he accrued from his lifetime thus far did not include dealing with Covid-19.
Hopefully, intelligence and valid public safety concerns will prevail over self-serving party loyalty.
We haven’t isolated ourselves for this long just to rush coming back only to find ourselves right back in isolation for an even longer period.
what makes Peter Oberacker an expert on this ? last I checked his so called small business employs him and his partner that’s it, lives are at stake here people need to realize this, i’d rather lose a summer of tourism etc than to be planning funerals wake up Mr Oberacker!