Gallego: More flexibility needed for frontline worker pay during COVID-19

PHOENIX — The same day the state say its largest jump in coronavirus deaths, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego believes more can be done in protecting frontline workers both in the field and at home.

“We have real challenges that we need to face. I would love to tell the president that we need support for our heroes on the frontline,” Gallego told MSNBC hours before President Donald Trump’s visit to the Valley on Tuesday.

“We need the federal government to give us the flexibility to pay our first responders with CARES Act dollars. Phoenix has been lucky, we did receive some CARES Act dollars but we are asking the president for flexibility to be able to use to pay those firefighters, paramedics out on the frontline.”

Gallego’s comments come just before Trump’s trip to Arizona on Tuesday. The president is expected to tour a Phoenix Honeywell facility that was retooled to produce N95 masks during the coronavirus pandemic. The trip comes after Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced Monday a plan for reopening retail stores and dine-in services at restaurants.

Besides Tuesday’s trip, Trump said he will travel soon to Ohio, to New York in June for the U.S. Military Academy graduation and to South Dakota in July for a holiday fireworks display at Mount Rushmore.

“I don’t know if I would be traveling now but we appreciate him recognizing an Arizona and a Phoenix success story,” Gallego said.” The facility he’s visiting is on land owned by the city of Phoenix and our city staff worked at heroic levels to get it up and running actually two weeks early in partnership with Honeywell. We are grateful they are making this life-saving equipment in our city. What I hope our president will say is that he’s still committed to saving American lives.”

Gallego has been a strong proponent for following the Centers for Disease Control guidelines as the state handles how to reopen amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Guidelines for Trump’s three-phase reopening includes states’ downward trajectory in coronavirus cases for two weeks. Arizona has yet to meet that criteria, as Gallego has pointed out, and is hopeful Trump will convey a strong message urging residents to continue to support said guidelines.

“I understand there is great pressure and people are suffering, people want to get back to work,” Gallego said. “I do think it makes sense to follow those CDC guidelines. They are not incredibly aggressive. They appear to be responsible and developed with scientists, with good data.

“I think if we reopen in a way that’s responsible it will be better for the economy and there’s a fair amount of data that says people want to feel confident in their safety. That they can go out and there’s safety measures driven by science in place to protect us.”

On Tuesday, state health officials reported 33 new deaths from coronavirus, a day after the state reported zero fatalities.

Arizona now has 395 deaths from COVID-19. With 386 additional positive tests, the total of cases increased to 9,305.

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