York Area Legislators Turn Red as County Prepares to Go Green

June 5, 2020

HARRISBURG – State Reps. Seth Grove (R-Dover), Dawn Keefer (R-Dillsburg), Kate Klunk (R-Hanover), Mike Jones (R-York Township) and House Appropriations Chairman Stan Saylor (R-Red Lion) issued the following statement in response to today’s announcement by Gov. Tom Wolf and Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine that York County will progress to the “green phase” of reopening at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, June 12:

“As elected officials in search of guidance during the ever-changing landscape that is the COVID-19 pandemic, we found ourselves frustrated and ‘red’ with anger as the governor and secretary laid out their next steps in the effort to reopen Pennsylvania.

“In the spirit of one of our local newspapers, we’re giving ‘roses’ to the reporter who asked Gov. Wolf about possibly violating his own ‘yellow phase’ directive when marching with protesters Wednesday. The governor earns ‘thorns’ for admitting he took a risk and saying he hasn’t decided whether or not to be tested for the virus or self-quarantine, as his gubernatorial colleague Andrew Cuomo recommends.

“He and Dr. Levine stated they have no plan in place for what follows the ‘green phase.’ Dr. Levine even joked about coming up with ‘another color, maybe gold.’ Actions like this do not exhibit qualities of leadership. They also do nothing for Pennsylvanians who have been called ‘cowards’ for objecting to their suggestions and recommendations. Most people don’t understand why this pandemic has altered graduation and vacation plans while their governor walks with a group of more than 25 people and disregards his own request for social distancing because he felt ‘compelled to participate.’

“Good leaders lead by example. The phrase ‘do as I say and not as I do’ isn’t in their vocabulary. Pennsylvanians simply want and deserve a level playing field, not one that is crowned in the middle and rises high above the rest. It's great to see York County go ‘green.’ We wish the governor would tell us what the next hurdle is.”