‘Now is absolutely not the time to further regulate businesses in Sussex County’

Members of Sussex County’s Board of Chosen Freeholders unanimously passed a resolution last week establishing a non-interference policy with Sussex County businesses. The resolution follows Gov. Phil Murphy’s enactment of his Executive Order 195, which gave counties and municipalities the authority to pile on further restrictions and set deeper curfews than he had imposed in Executive Order 194, which restricted indoor operations at food and beverage establishments between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. daily. Here is what the Freeholders had to say.

Freeholder Director Sylvia Petillo: “Our businesses in Sussex County are all essential and the backbone of our communities.”

Freeholder Deputy Director Dawn Fantasia: “Our businesses have suffered enough, strangled by arbitrary policies passed by these Executive Orders, with no legislative oversight. To me, every business is essential when it’s putting food on the table or the roof over your head for your family. The governor continues to pick winners and losers. I am so sorry, I am so sorry this is happening to our businesses. This board is standing in solidarity to do everything we possibly can to help you fight for your rights.”

Freeholder Joshua Hertzberg: “This is a stress test for the Constitution.” Businesses know best how to operate and “when government thinks it knows better, that’s when we have problems.”

Freeholder Anthony Fasano: “Now is absolutely not the time to further regulate businesses in Sussex County.”