May 30

May 30 New Hartford Supervisor Paul Miscione critical of big box stores opening before small businesses By Luke Perry

The Mohawk Valley began phase two of New York’s COVID reopening following a short but contentious delay. Several local officials were “outraged” with Governor’s Cuomo’s decision on Thursday evening to prohibit reopening Friday morning. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente told eligible businesses to open anyhow.

“These are people who have been out of work for eight weeks plus,” Picente said. “It’s disrespectful that you wait until 7 o’clock the night before to say, ‘Oh no, I’ve got a new expert.”

Cuomo required a review of phase one metrics by independent experts prior to allowing phase two to begin. This review was conducted and the transition approved by Friday afternoon. Phase two permits professional services to reopen, including finance, insurance, retail, administrative support, and real estate.

Oneida County has tested over 15,000 residents for COVID-19. There have been 979 total confirmed cases, 365 of which are active, and 46 confirmed fatalities.

“The data is coming in good,” said New Hartford Supervisor Paul Miscione, “People are staying safe. They’re social distancing.”

Miscione told Talk of the Town (WUTQ in Utica) the “county has been doing well for many years” and “our town has been in great shape.”

The pandemic destroyed “our whole economy in a short period,” Miscione said. “We need to step back. Get up. And get people working again. Get our stores open and get our day-to-day life back in order.”

Miscione had a problem “throughout this whole thing” with big box stores being permitted to stay open during phase one.

Miscione said Walmart is a “big entity” who was allowed to sell anything, including clothes, toys, and video games. “They have as much power as the state or more,” Miscione said. “The state couldn’t control them, so they let them run as much as they want and do whatever they needed to do.”

Meanwhile, small business owners, who “the state could diminish at any time,” were scared. “The state focused on closing these small places and keeping the big guys open,” Micione said.

Miscione believes that if Walmart was an “essential businesses” they should only have sold essential goods, like groceries, during phase one.

Some local fixtures will remain closed indefinitely, including the New Hartford Senior Center. Miscione believes a vaccine is necessary to protect seniors before it can open. The center will remain closed this summer and may not reopen until next year.

Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College