Pass this city mask law. It helps enforce Greg Abbott’s order and slows COVID-19.
Let me say this as clearly as I can.
It is up to you to keep yourself and your family safe.
Your city, county and state are not checking whether every business is run safely. Many cities and counties don’t check at all.
It is up to you to stay 6 feet away from absolutely anyone else, and to wear some sort of scarf, bandanna, mask or face covering.
It is up to you to stay out of any crowd.
If a store or restaurant is busy, leave immediately. There’s another store or restaurant nearby that isn’t crowded.
Do not let your guard down.
The government is not going to do the work of keeping your family or children safe.
Depending where you live, your city or county may not be trying at all.
Some cities worry more about businesses and sales-tax cash.
Tell your city council to stop making excuses for doing nothing.
Tell members to start enforcing industry safety standards and state health orders.
It’s now also an economic issue. Mandatory masks and rigid distancing rules are now considered the only way to keep businesses, stores and restaurants open, keep workers safe and keep tax money coming in.
Our elected officials can start doing more this week.
Every city in Texas can now pass and enforce a local ordinance levying a civil fine against those who don’t wear face coverings.
Austin passed one last week. Health inspectors can now fine violators of Gov. Greg Abbott’s state health orders, including those not wearing face coverings, and those hosting gatherings of more than 10 people outdoors.
The civil fine is $2,000. Your city can pass the same ordinance.
Set a lower fine if you want. But what’s important is that under the ordinance, inspectors can start asking questions and giving warnings, preferably from a safe 6 feet away.
This gives cities a way to enforce the governor’s order GA-29 without punishing violations as a crime or requiring a risky arrest.
In a letter to Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Abbott wrote that enforcement “is an important step toward reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). ... If these Orders are followed, we will be able to protect both public health and the livelihoods of our citizens.”
The message was similar Friday from the president of the Dallas Federal Reserve, Robert Kaplan.
Kaplan told Fox Business that wearing masks is now the “primary economic policy” to save America’s jobs.
Otherwise, more Texans will get sick, not only health care workers and law officers but also store clerks, delivery drivers and in September, schoolteachers.
It is now up to you to protect yourself, your families and the Texas economy.
Your city can help.
This story was originally published July 11, 2020 at 4:55 PM.
