Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf Urges Voters To Choose 'No' On Ballot Questions That Would Limit Executive Order Powers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania primary is now just days away. Gov. Tom Wolf visited Philadelphia on Thursday to urge voters to choose no on two important ballot questions.
Wolf spoke outside Philadelphia City Hall, defending his pandemic stay-at-home and other executive orders made during the pandemic. He wants voters to choose no on those ballot questions next week, but not everyone agrees.
By now, we're all used to the term executive order, like last year's stay-at-home order issued by the Pennsylvania governor.
So some of the ballot questions voters will see at the polls next week are all about putting some limits on the governor's executive order ability during emergencies, limits the governor does not want to see happen.
"Everybody needs to answer yes to these questions," said Nichole Missino, owner of Giovanni's Barber Shop in Media.
The owner of Giovanni's Barber Shop in Delaware County says the executive orders were so restrictive, it nearly crippled her business.
"Gov. Wolf has basically been King Wolf of Pennsylvania for the last year. He hasn't been working with the legislation at all, so I feel like we need to take some of that back," Missino said.
And others, like the owner of Flowers Etc. by Denise in Northern Liberties are considering selecting yes because of Wolf's two-month-long stay-at-home order.
"It did go on for a very long time. So I think perhaps limiting it might be beneficial to everyone," Denise Pody said.
Republican lawmakers want to limit the governor's powers, saying Wolf did not include them in pandemic-related decisions.
"The system was set up so that it had checks and balances in it so it had more than one perspective and more than one point of view," said State Rep. Christ Quinn, a Republican from Delaware County.
But Democrats counter limiting the governor's powers will slow down decision-making in crises.
"The suggestion is that the governor currently has dictatorial powers. Nothing is further from the truth. This governor has acted decisively and saved lives," said State Sen. Sharif Street, a Democrat from Philadelphia.
Now, Wolf is urging voters to choose 'no' to those two ballot questions.
"The current system works. Let's not change it," he said.
On top of the two questions related to the governor's executive power, voters will face a total of four ballot questions Tuesday. See the ballot questions here.