Burns stands up for small businesses, votes to open garden centers
Representative sides with local businesses over big box stores
Rep. Frank Burns April 30, 2020 | 4:17 PM
HARRISBURG, April 30 – Just hours after he called on Gov. Tom Wolf to allow businesses to offer curbside pickup and delivery, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, took action to support small businesses by voting to open garden centers.
“The governor’s policies, while perhaps well intended, are having a disastrous effect on our local garden centers by forcing them to remain closed while big box retailers like Lowes take their customers,“ Burns said. “I’ve asked the governor to reverse his decision, and today I took action to emphasize that message by voting to pass legislation that will force him to address this issue.”
Burns said that while the state must work to ensure the health and safety of Pennsylvania communities, the current regulations appear to set a double standard, forcing local community garden centers to close unnecessarily, especially during the critical spring planting season.
“I come from a small-business family and I’ve always stood up for the little guy,” Burns said. “This vote isn’t about politics, it’s about doing what’s right – it’s about helping our business owners, their workers, our farmers and our communities. If the big box retailers can sell tomato plants and seeds in a safe manner, then so can our local businesses.”
The bill, HB 2429, passed the House Thursday and is headed to the Senate for consideration.