North Coastal News

Based on recent COVID-19 positive case figures within the state of Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott recently relaxed some of the restrictions placed on businesses but he has fallen short of appeasing his base.

Rep. Steve Toth (R-Woodlands/Conroe) notified the governor that he was withdrawing his support in a letter based on inconsistency in leadership with regard to the coronavirus. Toth laid the blame for the state’s economic downturn at the governor’s feet.

“Having exhausted every attempt at persuasion, I was left with no other decision than to withdraw my support of Gov. Abbott,”  Toth wrote in the letter. “Throughout this crisis you have shown an appalling lack of consistency, leadership, and concern for the small business owners that are the primary driver of the Texas economy.”

The most recent decision by the governor was particularly irksome to Toth, who noted raising the occupancy of restaurants from 50% to 75% was unlikely to have much of an impact as 6-foot spacing is still in effect. Meanwhile, bar owners and employees continue to suffer despite no evidence that the coronavirus is spread more rapidly in that venue than in a restaurant.

“In June we asked for data to support the assertion that COVID-19 cases resulted from congregating in bars," Toth wrote. "The Department of State Health Services admitted there was no data to support the claim. Again, on Friday, Sept. 18, we repeated our request for any data or anecdotal evidence that bars were a contributing factor to the spread of COVID-19. Once again we were told there was no data.”   

He argued that the DSHS insisted the decision was based on metrics and local county health departments. When Toth looked for clarification locally, he said there was none to be gained.

“We do not have any local data indicating bars spread COVID-19," Toth wrote. "To the best of my knowledge, there exists no county data linking the spread of COVID-19 cases to bars." 

He said this was the opinion of Jason Millsaps, executive director of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, 

The impacts of the COVID-19 shutdown are taking a toll and will continue. Toth argued that the American Association of Pediatrics stated isolation could produce dire developmental and mental health issues in young people. In June, that National Institute on Drug Abuse reported drug overdoses increased 30% to 40% among young people while calls to the National Mental Health Hotline in April increased 891%. 

“The stated goal of your director of the Texas Department of State Health Services was, ‘Prevention, prevention and prevention of the spread of COVID-19,’'' Toth wrote. "In my opinion, the resultant misery, collateral damage and deaths have made this governmental over-reach a far deadlier cure than the disease itself.”