Curran To Cuomo: Let Malls Reopen In Phase 2

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said she's afraid what leaving malls closed until phase 4 of New York's reopening could do to the economy, and is asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo to let the shopping centers reopen sooner.

At her daily briefing on Monday, Curran explained that, as the reopening plan currently stands, retail businesses can reopen (with reduced capacity) in phase 2, which Long Island will start on Wednesday. But malls will remain closed until phase 4, which wouldn't begin for at least another month.

"Retailers and the people they employ have been devastated by three months of economic shutdown," Curran said. "By delaying the reopening of malls by an additional month, or perhaps even longer, I'm afraid that some may never reopen at all. And I shudder to think what the impact on our economy would be. And how would we bounce back from that?"

Curran said she wrote a letter to Cuomo asking him to let malls reopen in phase 2 with the rest of the retail businesses.

In addition, Curran said that the latest reports showed that the county's sales tax revenue — the main way the county raises funds — was down 30 percent. Curran called the decrease "devastating."

In order to help small businesses reopen safely, the county started a program to give 1,000 businesses kits of personal protective equipment (PPE). The kits include masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and more so businesses can keep their employees and their customers safe.

Today, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin announced that the town would give $2 million of the federal funds it received to the county to expand that PPE program. The extra funds will allow the county to supply 5,000 kits to small businesses.

It's part of the movement Curran is leading to get businesses in the area reopened in order to save the Long Island economy, but to do it while keeping people safe.

"Our business leaders, our residents, they get what they need to do," Curran said. "We've proven it by getting the numbers down to where they are. Our business owners and our residents are smart."