Kenney Administration Has 'Failed To Meet The Moment' In COVID Reopening, Some Philadelphia Councilmembers Say
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- As a reopening plan becomes clear for New Jersey, Delaware, and the Philadelphia suburbs, uncertainty remains as to when the city will open. A timeline for when the city might open up has not been set, and that has pushed some council members to sound off.
Some of this pushback started Wednesday during City Council's budget hearing, where several councilmembers pressed the city's health commissioner for a reopening date.
One has not been provided.
"This administration has failed to meet the moment," Councilmember Allan Domb said.
Domb didn't hold back during Thursday's City Council meeting.
"On the 4th of July, in the birthplace of liberty and freedom, let's not be the only city in America where freedom and liberty are still being held hostage to this pandemic," Domb said.
On Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that aside from mask wearing, all COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted within the commonwealth on Memorial Day. As has been the case with past easing of restrictions, Philadelphia's complete reopening will come later.
"When the governor announced his plan to reopen, this administration said we will talk later," Domb said. "So where does that leave us?"
It leaves people like Mercy Mosquera, owner of Mixto Restaurante in Center City and Tierra Colombiana in North Philly, feeling unsure -- again.
"I found out that again, Philadelphia, like always, is taking the decision yet they want to see that the numbers are going down," Mosquera said.
This week, Mosquera installed the partitions required for bar seating. She says a return to full capacity would mean adding 15 tables back at Mixto Restaurante.
"We want to work. It's not just about money, we want to work," Mosquera said.
Domb said he wants a clearer vaccination distribution plan.
"We started sitting on our doses weeks ago. We had no plan," he said. "Now looks like we won't make the president's deadline of July 4."
President Joe Biden's goal is for 70% of Americans to have at least one shot by July 4. According to state and city data, 63% of Pennsylvanians have received at least one shot while in Philadelphia, 46% of city residents 16 and older have received at least one dose.
According to Philadelphia's health department, no date to fully reopen has been determined.
The state restrictions are being reviewed and a comment will be made in the future.