County, state and federal lawmakers publicly shared their displeasure over the state's decision not to move Erie County into the green phase of Pennsylvania's reopening plan next Friday.

Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper, joined by State Reps. Pat Harkins, Bob Merski and Ryan Bizzarro, expressed their frustration with Gov. Tom Wolf's administration and Harrisburg outside the county courthouse Friday afternoon. 

"We need Harrisburg to listen to Erie," Dahlkemper said.

She said Erie's hospitals are well prepared for any spike in cases, and the state needs to consider other data like that.

Dahlkemper also said the yellow phase and restrictions are taking a toll on the community, including its mental and physical health and the economy.

"The way we're doing it is wrong," Rep. Merski said.

Rep. Bizzarro said the county is being punished because its numbers were initially low, and now, the county is seeing it an increase. He said the county should not be treated the same as the southeast counties where most of the state's cases have been reported.

"I am urging businesses to operate as if they were under the green phase today," Bizzarro said.

Rep. Harkins said his phone is blowing up as he receives messages from people frustrated by the decision.

"I ran for office to speak for people who are voiceless," said Harkins. "I don't feel like I have a voice in Harrisburg."

He said a conference call Thursday afternoon with Gov. Wolf's administration and Dr. Levine did not produce the answers and information they were looking for.

Harkins also shared his frustration with Wolf jumping off another conference call about Erie County going green.

"I supported Tom Wolf and respect him, but this is uncalled for," said Harkins.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, who recovered from coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as State Sen. Dan Laughlin, gathered at Sara's, a restaurant near the entrance to Presque Isle, Friday to also call on Pennsylvania to move Erie County to the green phase.

They said Gov. Wolf's decision makes no sense and is decimating Erie County, especially small businesses.

"I'm calling on the governor right now to open Erie County to the green phase at a minimum, and I want him to do it today," said Laughlin. "This is nothing but politics now, and I'm not going to stand for it. I want you to know that governor."

They also said businesses should not have to deal with red tape, and every type of business should be allowed to open.

They want the governor to reopen Erie and trust the people in Erie County to do the right thing.

"You tell small business people what it is they have to do, what it is they have to comply with, what they have to do to make sure the public is safe, they will do it," said Kelly. "The question is why will they do it because they know their very existence depends on being able to accommodate that type of a market."

The lawmakers said vulnerable people like the elderly still need to be protected but said most people should be able to go about their life with limited restrictions.

They said the shutdown was necessary months ago but believe the county's hospitals have the capacity to handle coronavirus cases.

"This has been taking way too long, and we are not where we ought to be," said Toomey. "Erie should be a green county; virtually, the entire state should be green. Erie is clearly a county where the number of incidents is so low now, trending downward. There's no reason that we continue to remain in a yellow zone."

Erie County Department of Health director Melissa Lyon said the state is keeping an eye on the county's cases per 100,000; a rolling 14-day average of cases; and the total cases daily using a two, three or seven-day total.

Lyon said Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine told them, "All of those are trending in the wrong direction."

The state is providing six contact tracers to Erie County for two weeks, Dahlkemper and Wolf both announced.

Dahlkemper also said keeping Erie County in the yellow phase longer is forcing residents to go elsewhere, including neighboring cases like Ashtabula County, Ohio, which she said is less populated but has more cases.

Nearby Crawford and Warren Counties were moved into the green phase last Friday.

Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Northumberland, Union, Wayne, Wyoming and York - can join the green next Friday, June 12.

In the green phase, gyms, barbers and hair salons can reopen, as can indoor dining at restaurants and bars. Overnight camps and organized youth sports can begin or resume, and gatherings of up to 250 people are allowed, although large demonstrations over the past week around Pennsylvania protesting police brutality routinely exceeded 250 people.

Outdoor dining is permitted as of Friday, June 5, in yellow phase counties including Erie.