Businesses cautiously optimistic with reopening on horizon

Doug Johnson reports

LOCAL BUSINESSES BUT SOMEBUSINESS OWNERS TELL US IT'SNOT JUST RESTRICTIONS THAT AREGOING TO CHANGE IT'S ALSOPEOPLE'S PERCEPTION.SACRAMENTO COUNTY IS ASKINGTHE STATE'S PERMISSION TO EASECOVID-19 PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONSALLOWING MORE RETAIL STORES TOREOPEN AND RESTAURANTS TOOFFER ON-SITE DINING WE DOMEET THE TESTS WE HAVE ENOUGHTESTING OUR RATES OF INFECTIONRATES OF HOSPITALIZATION IREMAIN RELATIVELY FLATSACRAMENTO.

MAYOR DARRELLSTEINBERG SAYS THE NEWS ISENCOURAGING.

BUT HE WARNS ITWON'T BE BACK TO BUSINESS ASUSUAL JUST YET THERE ARE PARTSOF THIS YOU CAN'T CONTROL BUTYOU CAN CONTROL WEARING A MASKOUT IN PUBLIC.

IT'S UNCLEARHOW MUCH THIS MOVE WILL HELPTHE CITY'S LOCAL ECONOMY JUSTBECAUSE WE'RE LOTTERY ELSEAND.DOESN'T MEAN WE CANACTUALLY SUSTAIN THAT UNLESSWE CAN AT LEAST MAKE OUR OURBASE MOUNT CAN GO IN DEBTEVERY MONTH AND SURVIVERANDALL SELL IT IS THEEXECUTIVE CHEF AND OWNER OFTHIS OWN RESTAURANT GROUP.WITH 6 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.HE SAYS HE INITIALLY LAID OFF360 EMPLOYEES.THAT RAIN KURDS A PICKUP ATFOR HIS CAFES.

HE'S ONLY BEENABLE TO HIRE 90 OF THEM BACKWE WOULD LOVE TO BRING BACKEVERYBODY THAT'S WHY CITYLEADERS HAVE LAUNCHED ACAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT LOCALBUSINESSES.

COUNCIL MEMBERJEFF HARRIS SAYS ABOUT 30% OFTHE CITY'S BUDGET COMES FROMSALES TAX AS SOON AS YOU'REABLE TO BUY FROM A LOCALVENDOR.LET'S ALL FLOODED BACKTHERE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCALBUSINESS COMMUNITY BECAUSETHAT IS WHAT KEEPS OUR CITYAFLOAT LONG TERM MAYORSTEINBERG SAYS HE'S STILLOPTIMISTIC BUT THEREVITALIZATION OF THE CITY'SRAIL YARD AND BUILDING THEMAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER STADIUMTHERE COULD BE SOME MODESTTIMING IMPACTS.BUT NOTHING THAT IS GOINGTO SET US DRAMATICALLY ANDSHORT TERM SO IN HOPES ANDRING FACE TO BE THIS WEEKEND.COULD HELP TURN THINGSAROUND THEM OR.THE GUIDELINES ARE RELAXEDAND THE MORE PEOPLE GET OURRESTAURANTS MORE PEOPLE HIGHERHIGHER BACK.NOW IS THE COUNTY'S REQUEST