the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Morristown NJ, The popular Market Taverne restaurant in Morristown is the latest causality due to New Jersey’s prohibition on indoor dining.
The decision to shut this restaurant down forever leaves 30 employees without jobs, and became public only days after another popular restaurant in the town, La Campagna announced they were going out of business.
“This is real life, and the Governor is letting it happen,” said Senator Anthony M. Bucco, a tireless advocate for a more business-supportive approach from the Administration. “I’ve heard of seven restaurants that can’t hold on, and it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Businesses are dying, dreams are fading, jobs are being lost and the Governor has done little to help.”
Restaurants expected to welcome diners back on a limited basis on July 2, but Murphy changed his mind two days before, banning indoor service indefinitely.
“It was a devastating blow for thousands of businesses barely holding on financially after months of restrictions,” said Bucco. “This policy flip added insult to injury to businesses that desperately needed to re-open and invested heavily in perishable supplies to feed customers. It was a cruel twist, and many operations have never recovered.”
Restaurants had no choice but to try to tread water with take-out service and outdoor dining. In Morristown many eateries had trouble offering outside dining so the town tried to close a portion of South Street to traffic to enhance safety for curb-side tables.
The State Department of Transportation blocked the effort to re-direct cars on the State road, and once again restaurants were nudged toward bankruptcy.
“It was a short-sighted and insensitive refusal to adapt the rules by the DOT,” said Bucco, who wrote to the commissioner urging the State to reconsider. “We’ve all made sacrifices and changes during the pandemic. In writing, I asked for an explanation of the decision, which I never received. I don’t understand how they can justify turning their backs on employers and hospitality workers who could have been helped by simply detouring traffic for a block or two until the health emergency passes.
“This was another missed opportunity for Murphy, who should have stepped up to help businesses and save jobs.”
Bucco has also repeatedly called for the Governor to appropriate money in the state’s CARES Act fund.
He sponsors legislation that would provide direct support for struggling restaurants from more than $2 billion of federal COVID aid that has not been allocated.
“This week, we are seeing the results of the administration’s apathy toward the job-creators that New Jerseyans depend on,” said Bucco. “Restaurants closing, unemployment numbers rising again, feelings of desperation and hopelessness on Main Streets and business districts across the state is a bad sign for New Jersey. The Governor needs to turn this around before it’s too late.”
Gov Murphy, We need to open our restaurants. We need to open our state completely. We need to work, earn money and generate tax revenue for our state. You are single handedly sabotaging our restaurant and hospitality industry. You have the money from the government but refuse to allocate it.
We need to open, our state needs us to open. Why are you so adamant in destroying our state?
Community is more important!
and where is the tax money going to come from to fund the “community” ?
Our businesses need to open. If they don’t we are cutting them off at the knees and what comes of this owners and employees? These “non-essential businesses “ are essential to them and their families. Consumers are still going to make their own decisions on their level of comfort. Let them innovate and honor reasonable practices to keep their patrons and employees safe. Otherwise, they become wards of the state when you give them no alternative. We overspend in this state to begin with, and then we put it on the backs of the tax payers already burdened with some of the highest taxes in the country? The result? Everyone loses. We need a healthy business ecosystem to keep our states running. In the face of a pandemic there are practices and precautions to exercise. But closing businesses is killing our state and continuing the mass exit from a state who levies the burden upon its residents in epic proportions.
Our “GoldmanSachs” millionaire governor could not care less about small businesses. This is all about politics people, it’s about the lefts strategy to undermine the economy to fit their narative. Karma is coming for you Governor..
I believe this Virus will go away, even if the restaurants have indoor dining. Don’t you remember have faith in God…. cause this will be gone…soon….I heard it will be gone as fast as it came in… it will be gone,,,,GONE.. meaning, we are back to the way we were….
Please!!!! Let us open inside soon. We
are paying rent inside, paying for tents, chairs, and fans! High cost of food and losing money every day!!!?
Also we can’t find experience staff for our front house!!!
I’m been working and owning restaurants for over 40 years now. I work in Ridgewood for 45 years and I saw a lot of up and downs. But this is totally ridiculous!!!
You are hurting all the mama and
pop store. This so be the fruit s of labor right now for my husband and myself. We sacrifice a lot and you taking away our retirement which we desire. I beg you to let us open inside 🙏🏻
Please let us be to open inside soon.!!! We are paying for rent inside which we can’t use. We are all paying for tents, chairs, fans and tables that is another rent.!!!
I’m working in this industry for 45 years now. I I worked and own places in Ridgewood for 35 years. Trust I seem a lot. But this is totally ridiculous and Politically!!!!
I’ts so hard to find experience help for the front house and the high cost of food right now. We need your help right now 🙏🏻
This is our time to think of our retirement, our fruits of our labour witch we sacrifice and earn.
Please help all small businesses, all Mama and Pops stores, and Restaurant 🙏🏻
“Please let us…”
This is the mindset and attitude that allows the dictators to impose their draconian rules and get away with it.
Murphy does not care. If he did he would open up. He has no empathy for the people, it’s all about Murphy.