SALT LAKE CITY The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments worldwide to embrace a delicate balancing act with an open economy on one side of the scale, public health on the other.
Lean too far toward the economy, and government leaders give the perception they don t care about the safety of their constituents as higher numbers of people get sick. Venture too far to the other side, and they see unemployment rises as people struggle through financial hardships.
Finding the sweet spot between the two is perhaps most critical in small, local governments because of limited budgets, fewer residents and a lack of infrastructure.