How South Tucson endures the impact of social distancing

COVID-19 has impacted business in South Tucson an official explains how that could affect city services

OPERATING AT LIMITED CAPACITYBECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS -- SOMECOMMUNITIES AREN'T GENERATINGTHE REVENUE THEY NORMALLYWOULD DURING THE PANDEMIC.NINE ON YOUR SIDE'S ROGELIOMARES WAS IN SOUTH TUCSONTODAY -- TO FIND OUT HOW LONGOFFICIALS THERE SAY THEY CANKEEP PROVIDING CITY SERVICES.SOUTH TUCSON ISN'T A LARGECOMMUNITY.

IT ONLY COVERS ALITTLE MORE THAN A SQUAREMILE.

ALONG 4TH AVENUE, YOU'LLFIND MOST OF IT'S BUSINESSES,LIKE THE ST.

CHARLES TAVERNBEHIND ME HERE, FEELING THEPINCH OF SOCIAL DISTANCING.

SOWE REACHED OUT TO CITY LEADERSTO FIND OUT HOW BUSINESSESBEING CLOSED COULD POTENTIALLYAFFECT RESIDENTS AND THESERVICES THEY RELY ON IN THECITY.

OUR BUSINESSES AREDEFINITELY GOING TO BEIMPACTED, THERE'S NO DOUBTABOUT THAT.

WHERE BUSINESSESRELY ON CUSTOMERS FOR INCOME-- COMMUNITIES RELY ON THOSEBUSINESSES TO FILL IN PART OFTHEIR BUDGETS -- THROUGH SALESTAX.

IN SOUTH TUCSON -- WHERETHE SAFETY DIRECTOR SAYS NOCOVID-19 CASES HAVE BEENREPORTED -- THEY'RE STILLEXPERIENCING ECONOMIC EFFECTSOF THE VIRUS.

THE RESTAURANTSARE VERY MUCH THE CITY'SLIFELINE.

IT'S GOING TO BEDIFFICULT, I MEAN IT REALLYWILL BE DIFFICULT.

POLICECHIEF AND SAFETY DIRECTORMANUEL AMADO SAYS SOMERESTAURANTS ARE STILL SERVINGTAKE OUT BUT THE IMPACT OFCOMPLYING WITH STATE ANDCOUNTY HEALTH GUIDELINES WILLBE FELT BY IT'S HANDFUL OFBUSINESSES AND THAT COULDAFFECT THE CITY'S BUDGET.WE'RE STILL OPERATINGSERVICES.

I THINK WE HAVE APRETTY GOOD RESERVE RIGHT NOW,THAT'LL HELP US OPERATE ATLEAST UNTIL THE END OF THEYEAR.

ONE MAJOR BOOST THERESTAURANTS IN THE CITY WOULDHAVE BEEN CYCLOVIA -- SINCECANCELED IN RESPONSE THECOVID-19 OUTBREAK.

CYCLOVIAWAS ACTUALLY GOING TO COMETHROUGH THE CITY OF SOUTHTUCSON, IT WAS GOING TO GO UP4TH AVENUE, SO OUR RESTAURANTSWERE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TOTHAT.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY --AMADO SAYS -- THE CITY'SESSENTIAL SERVICES AREN'TSTILL OPERATIONAL.

BUT THESIZE OF IT'S STAFF, ESPECIALLYON THE POLICE FORCE, POSES APROBLEM IF THE UNTHINKABLEWERE TO HAPPEN.

IF WE HAD TOQUARANTINE EVEN A COUPLE OFOFFICERS THAT WOULD REALLYIMPACT US, HEAVILY, BECAUSE OFOUR LOW STAFFING LEVELS.

CHIEFAMADO SAYS RESIDENTS DON'TNEED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT SAFESTREETS -- AMADO SAYS POLICEDEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY HAVETALKED ABOUT FILLING INWHEREVER THERE'S A NEED FOROFFICERS.

IN SOUTH TUCSON,ROGELIO MARES, KGUN 9 ON YOURSIDE.LAWMAKERS CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR