I disagree with the county’s involvement in asking the governor to support letting us do our own thing. On the national map, we are one of the states in the red, with an increase of virus cases.

There have been more than two dozen new virus cases over the past several days in Clatsop County. A Knappa student tested positive for the virus. Closures in population-dense counties inland will result in an increase in viral load here, due to more visitors to the coast.

Clearly the Clatsop County commission forgets what it was like here on the coast last spring. Instead, spend the next few weeks, while the risk levels are being evaluated, to make smart short-term investment of stimulus dollars to bridge the lack of tax revenue, and lend support to small business.

I also urge leaders of local government to invest their time and resources to champion an outreach campaign to get folks vaccinated, and preach the value of wearing masks.

What is more important, money or lives? A few more weeks to focus on protecting permanent residents, and our workforce, will help to blunt the expected onslaught coming our way this summer.

KYLE WALKER

Warrenton