CAROLYN G.

GOODMAN
MAYOR, LAS VEGAS
CITY COUNCIL
3.18.20

IN THIS TIME OF UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE AND UNCERTAINTY, EACH OF US IS

BEING CALLED UPON TO follow THE NATIONAL MANDATES OF THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES AND THOSE OF OUR GOVERNOR OF NEVADA, STEVE SISOLAK.
CLEAR, OPEN COMMUNICATION AND VARIABLE INSTRUCTIONS-TO-FOLLOW, CALL
FOR ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER, TO REMAIN CALM, AND REALIZE THERE IS
AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE, OVER-RIDING PLANS TO FOLLOW. ..PATIENCE,
CIVILITY, SELF-CONTROL, AND HAVING STRONG FAITH MUST PREVAIL, FOR FEAR
AND FEAR ALONE CAN AND WILL IMPEDE US.

IT HAS BEEN MY INTENT AS MAYOR OF THIS GREAT CITY OF LAS VEGAS THAT WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO REMAIN OPEN FOR BUSINESS … EVEN WHEN REALIZING THAT
THERE COULD HAVE BEEN CONSTRAINTS PUT UPON US TO WHICH WE WOULD
HAVE REASONABLY ADHERED. BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO I UNDERSTAND, BUT ALSO
BECAUSE I AM PAINFULLY AWARE AND SENSITIVE TO THE VERY MANY WHO LIVE
PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, I KNOW WE/THEY CANNOT SURVIVE ANY TOTAL SHUT
DOWN OF THE ECONOMY FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE
WEEK OR TWO.

SO MANY, WORKING IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY (MORE THAN LIKELY IN BIG

HOTELS) … AND ALSO THOSE MOM & POP SMALL, PRIVATELY-OWNED BUSINESSES
---THESE ARE MOST DEFINITELY AT THE GREATEST RISK…THEY CANNOT SURVIVE
ANY LENGTHY SHUTDOWN…THUS MY FULL OUT EFFORTS WILL BE FOCUSED ON
KEEPING AS MANY OF OUR PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, EMPLOYED AND ASKING THE
GOVERNOR TO SHORTEN THE PROJECTED SHUTDOWN.

KNOW THE FACTS: IN THE PAST 20 YEARS ALONE AND WITHOUT ANY
SHUTDOWN: WE HAVE SURVIVED THE WEST NILE VIRUS IN 2002; SARS IN 2004;
THE BIRD FLU IN 2005, 2006 ECOLI; 2009 SWINE FLU; 2014 EBOLA; 2016 ZIKA
VIRUS, AND ANNUALLY “THE GENERAL FLU” AND WE’RE STILL HERE!!!-
ANY FULL-OUT SHUTDOWN WILL CRIPPLE THIS STATE’S RECOVERY NOT ONLY
NOW BUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO COME… WE ARE UNIQUE; WE ARE NOT NEW
YORK, L.A., SAN FRANCISCO…OUR ECONOMY DEPENDS ON TOURISM AND BEING
OPEN FOR DINING, ENTERTAINMENT, GAMING, SPORTS …42 MILLION PEOPLE
COME TO US EVERY YEAR AS TOURISTS… AND OUR OWN 3 MILLION NEVADANS
DEPEND ON THE INCOME FROM THAT TOURISM FOR THEIR LIVELIHOODS. . .
SHUTTING DOWN FOR ANY LENGTHY TIME WILL CREATE UNTENABLE HARDSHIP!

NOW, ACCORDING TO THE CDC, THIS CORONA VIRUS, COVID-19, LIKE OTHER
VIRUSES BEFORE IT TENDS TO HAVE AN INCUBATIION PERIOD RANGING FROM 2
TO 14 DAYS. IT, LIKE OTHER VIRUSES, OFTENTIMES TARGETS THOSE WITH
COMPROMISED HEALTH ISSUES, AND OF COURSE TOO OFTEN, THE ELDERLY.

COVID-19 IS MOST CONTAGIOUS BEGINNING A DAY BEFORE SYMPTOMS SHOW UP

AND REMAINS TRANSMISSIBLE UNTIL ABOUT 8 DAYS THEREAFTER. THUS THE
CALL FOR SELF-ISOLATION BEFORE AND DURING THE ONSET AND UNTIL THE
CONTAGIOUS PERIOD IS CONCLUDED, IS BEYOND PRUDENT, AND WE CAN DO
THIS.

THE GOVERNOR HAS MANDATED AND ENCOURAGED SELF-ISOLATION WHEN

APPROPRIATE… DISTANCE SEPARATION (ONE FROM ANOTHER) AT ALL TIMES…
AND BEFORE LAST NIGHT’S MANDATE…CUTTING BUSINESS OCCUPANCY TO 50%
TO HELP CONTROL THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. OF COURSE WE HAVE AND
SHOULD ALWAYS FOLLOW ALL STANDARDS AND PRACTICES OF SUSTAINABLE
GOOD HEALTH.

WE ARE ADHERING TO THOSE DEMANDS AND DO SO IN TRUST AND IN GOOD

FAITH ….BUT WE WILL ALWAYS BE COGNIZANT THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF THIS
COUNTRY AND IN ALL STATES --- IS OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE
PEOPLE…

SO AS WE ARE PERMITTED, THE CITY OF LAS VEGAS WILL SEEK WAYS FOR PEOPLE
AND BUSINESSES TO CONTROL THEIR OWN LIVES, MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICES,
CREATE AND FOLLOW THEIR OWN DESTINIES….AND LIVE BEING ASSURED THEY
HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO SO IN DIGNITY, EARNING A LIVELIHOOD, PROVIDING FOR
THEIR FAMILIES AND EVEN HELPING OTHERS TO ENJOY THOSE SAME RIGHTS AND
DIGNITIES AS THEY CAN ---AND EVEN AS WE STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE EVEN THIS
VIRUS.

PLEASE GOVERNOR, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO LIVE OUR LIVES, SUPPORT OUR

FAMILIES… AND YES, KEEP NEVADA STRONG TOGETHER…BUT WE CAN’T DO THAT
IF WE ARE HOUSE-BOUND UNABLE TO WORK FOR SUCH A LENGTHY TIME. PLEASE
BE ASSURED THAT THE CITY OF LAS VEGAS AND OUR STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO
DO OUR EXPECTED DUTIES WITH VIGOR AND DETERMINATION FOR THE PEOPLE
OF LAS VEGAS AND NEVADA.