OLYMPIA…Senate Republican Leader Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, released the following statement in response to Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement today that ongoing residential construction will be allowed to resume if jobsites follow a 30-point plan for safety during the coronavirus public health crisis. Schoesler said:
“This is a positive move, and the governor should follow it up with quick action on recommendations to let people like auto dealers and landscapers and others return to their low-risk livelihoods. With more of Washington’s waters opening to fishing tomorrow, an end to the nation’s only complete ban on fishing would also be a step in the right direction.

“It’s never made sense why private residential construction was singled out as being non-essential in our state, and the thousands of Washington families hurt by this inconsistency have particular reason to ask what the justification was. At 25 million dollars in lost wages per day, the construction shutdown alone is likely to mean close to a billion dollars’ worth of income that will never be replaced, and it’s caused a crater in the state’s financial situation as well. For now, let’s hope the industry can get back up to speed quickly. People need homes.”