According to a press release from his office, Senator Fred Akshar has released his latest Community Voice Survey asking constituents for their input on state government’s next steps in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, as leaders at the local, state and federal level begin looking toward reopening businesses and schools and restarting the economy.

The survey follows the federal government issuing guidelines for reopening the states and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announcing a plan to work with six neighboring states on a coordinated reopening effort in the coming months.

While New York State has reported over 222,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, over 200,000 of those cases are located in the downstate/Westchester/New York City/Long Island region. Currently, there have been fewer than 350 confirmed coronavirus cases across all four counties of the 52nd Senate District combined.

“Throughout this crisis, I’ve stayed in constant communication with our local and state leaders, health officials and hospitals to make sure our community’s needs were met,” said Senator Fred Akshar. “But I’ve also been listening to struggling business owners who have been forced to shut down, employees who were laid off and families struggling to keep food on the table for their children. While we all work together now to stop the spread of this virus and save lives, it's also important to plan for the hard work ahead of us in restarting our economy and our lives.”

Akshar’s constituents are urged to visit Akshar.NYSenate.Gov and voice their opinion on whether they support or oppose a regional reopening plan for New York State versus a one-size-fits all approach for both upstate and downstate. The survey also asks constituents about their willingness to return to restaurants and retail stores if Governor Cuomo eases the current restrictions and allows them to make suggestions on how to safely reopen New York.

“The health and safety of our families and communities always comes first,” said Akshar. “But as we look to the future, I want to make sure the collective voices of the people I represent are heard loud and clear. It will take all of us working together to rebuild our lives and the collective future of our community."

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