Letters to the Editor: If Disneyland wants to reopen, make it pay for COVID-19 patients' healthcare

Los Angeles Times Opinion
·2 min read
ANAHEIM, CA - SEPTEMBER 30: Stanchions that normally direct long lines remain empty at the Disneyland Park ticket booth while Disneyland remains closed on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 in Anaheim, CA. After suffering losses for months due to Gov. Newsom's mandatory coronavirus shut-down, Disney says it will lay off 28,000 employees across its parks, experiences and consumer products segment.(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Ticket booths sit empty at Disneyland in Anaheim on Sept. 20. (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: These tough times call for measured and smart decisions. What's more pressing: private profits for theme parks, or protecting the public's health during a pandemic? ("New rules keep Disneyland and many other California theme parks closed for now," Oct. 20)

The situation as I see it is that the parks and local businesses value their interests above those of the public at large.

If parks like Disneyland reopen, they may make a profit (assuming customers show up). If people show up and get sick, the businesses will send their hopes and prayers as usual, but will still keep their profits while we taxpayers are stuck with the bills for the uninsured and Medi-Cal recipients.

Until these businesses, large and small, are held financially accountable for the public costs of their reopening, therefore leaving no costs to the taxpayers, I support Gov. Gavin Newsom's guidelines that will keep large theme parks closed for a while longer.

Barry Davis, Agoura Hills

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To the editor: Newsom continues to make decisions based on science and the safety of Californians. Anaheim and Walt Disney Co. continue to insist that the "thousands of jobs" that Disneyland provides are more important.

Have we all forgotten that barely a year prior to the pandemic, Disney was facing harsh criticism for its rampant underpaying of resort employees, resulting in some of them having to live in their cars?

Is this really the economy that needs such vociferous defending?

Dawn Halloran, North Hollywood

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To the editor: The reopening of the large theme parks is tied to the COVID-19 case levels in their respective counties. Instead of complaining about how unfair that is, why can't local officials do their jobs and rally the citizenry to undertake the measures needed to decrease the number of new cases?

That would be to everyone's benefit, make everyone safer, and allow those who rely on the theme park economy to see employment again.

I understand this is especially difficult for large counties, but come on, folks: Together, we can do this.

Kathleen Sanchez, Monrovia

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.