Fining them when they’re down

I feel like Cole’s Coffee shouldn’t have been fined so high for trying to stay open during COVID (“State levies fines for virus infractions,” May 24). This seems to be a problem that we should have gotten over within the first few months of COVID: charging absurd amounts of money for businesses already losing money.

But what’s interesting to me is that five Spokane bars didn’t even get a warning for these violations, they just got a penalty and had to pay immediately. Which is another problem we have, and that is warning businesses that they’re in the red, why not try to give them some time to change the rules or figure out a deal instead of fining these businesses with no mercy.

Along with no warnings, they get fined for simple things, like not having signs, or open times. Why not, instead of fining them, they provide signs or masks or materials so that these businesses can have a chance?

Furthermore, not all businesses are run the same, all have different needs and such, and should be able to choose what days they’re open or closed, not be told by someone who makes the rules seemingly randomly.

Lastly, this is a problem that we still haven’t 100% figured out, and if we don’t start evolving our rules for the interest in these small businesses, then we might not have any left.

Hudson Fritts

Spokane