Close S.B. Beaches

Dear Mayor Murillo,

I can’t remember the last time I emailed an elected representative but that ends today. I am absolutely appalled at our city’s decision to re-open the beaches for the 4th. This isn’t just about our local viral load. This is about the fact that since other SoCal areas are all closing their beaches, we will get folk coming here. Asymptomatic people will be coming from L.A., Ventura, and other areas.

Since we have also allowed our hotels and motels to open to non-essential people, we are basically throwing open our doors to tourists and by tourists, I mean COVID-19.

I am already embarrassed at how our country is handling this. We have become a worldwide joke. Banned from the EU due to our failure to conduct ourselves properly during a global pandemic.

Can we as a city not do better than this? I know you must be under a ton of pressure from the monied here in town. But logic and scientific reason must prevail against ignorance and greed.

As I posted on the S.B. County health’s FB page:

“Your optimism about the intelligence of our locals in the face of what we are seeing all over the country is staggering.

“I hope to be wrong but I have lost faith in the ability of people to do what is in their best interests as well as for those of their neighbors & loved ones.

“Good god. We won’t know until the 17th or so but if the hospitals get overrun this will be on your heads.”

Mayor Murillo, I voted for you. I trusted you to have a sound head, was encouraged by your platform, and believed you were the best person for the job.

Please don’t fail this important test of your leadership.