Mayor Gunter: I Believe Bars Should Be Able to Open for Business
SAN ANGELO, TX – Mayor Brenda Gunter held a press conference on Tuesday announcing that she and the City of San Angelo will stand behind bar owners.
When asked, on September 22, if Mayor Gunter though bars were getting a fair shake she replied "No I don't. I think they deserve the opportunity to open their doors no matter what that is."
Although TABC has made rule changes to allow some bars to reopen Mayor Gunter claims that it isn't good enough. "We need opportunities for businesses that are still closed," said Mayor Gunter.
Earlier today San Angelo LIVE! reported Rep. Darby wrote a letter to Governor Abbott asking that he would reconsider his stand on Bars and Distilleries. Read more here: Darby to Governor: 'Open Our Bars!'
Mayor Gunter says she wants all businesses to reopen to help rebuild the economy in San Angelo. At the beginning of the pandemic, San Angelo's unemployment rate was 3% now it is over 7%. Mayor Gunter, Rep. Darby, and many others believe that reopening all bars, distilleries, and music venues will make that unemployment rate what it was back in February.
Although Mayor Gunter would like to see bars open she is aware of the risk. In July, San Angelo was one of the cities with the highest positivity rate in America. Since then, San Angelo's positivity rate has dropped but is still higher than the State of Texas as a whole.
Mayor Gunter's main point throughout the press conference was if citizens want bars to be open, it is on them.
"Our ability to continue to open doors, including bars, is dependent on each and everyone out there," said Mayor Gunter. "You must be part of the plan to keep San Angelo safe and out businesses economically secure. It is in the hands of every San Angelo citizen."
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nothing normal about getting wasted in public and killing someone with your car. Leave them closed and let them find an honest living that doesn't exploit humanity for a profit.
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PermalinkNot everyone that drinks gets wasted, there are responsible drinkers. As for drinking then driving it is totally legal as long as the blood alcohol is below .08. Myself I do not drink but do realize that others may want to drink and that is fine as long as they do it responsibly. People should respect the rights of others. When you or others are endangered by another person it makes no difference the cause then at that time it becomes your business. Until then 'live and let live'. FYI public intoxication is illegal.
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PermalinkWe would all be better off without bars. They are unnecessary and also add to crime and vice. Last thing we need in this time where crime is on the rise, as well as increase virus spreads rt people in close contact t and inhibitions and not using social distancing. If you think going out and having a good time is going to a bar you need your head examined. Bar owners are responsible for selling a poison drug that inhibits the mind, endangers our society by people drunk and on the streets and making profit off of a liquid drug that brings down society. If bars never opened again would not be a tragedy. Find another profession and find another past time. If you must, drink at home.
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PermalinkYou've made plainly obvious your contempt of bars, but do you feel the same towards liquor stores? I'm not condoning the opening of bars at this point and I still won't dine in restaurants or go to movies or other crowded venues, so bars remaining closed will not effect me in the slightest. But if you object to selling and profiting off a liquid poison drug in bars, how could you justify it in package liquor stores?
Could you possibly be in favor of round 2 of prohibition? That's gonna fly like a lead balloon.
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Permalink.
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PermalinkThe reason for the closure of businesses is to slow the spread of a deadly disease. I am pretty sure that Abbott would like to have that lost tax revenue going into the treasury. I am no fan of Abbott's but I give him credit for at least trying to keep as many of us healthy as possible. Even if everything were opened up tomorrow life would not return to the was it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those people that are unemployed are deep in debt. behind on mortgage, rent, car payments, credit cards and etc. Unless those debts are forgiven of which is highly unlikely it will be a very long time before the economy recovers. As far as Rep Darby, he should resign for placing more importance on finances than human health and the same goes for the mayor. The economy will fully open when the officials are confident that it is safe to open.
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