Growing Number of New York Counties Won’t ‘Become Mask Police’ Amid Governor’s Mandate
December 16, 2021
A growing number of New York counties indicated they won’t enforce Gov. Kathy Hochul’s mask-or-vaccine mandate that she enacted earlier this month, with one county executive describing the Democratic governor’s order as “misguided and unrealistic.”
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said he opposes “using Gestapo tactics and going business to business and asking them if they are enforcing masking,” referring to the governor’s order.
“My health department has critical things to do that are more important than enforcing this and I think small businesses have been through enough already,” the Republican executive said. “God forbid the governor directs the state police to go out and enforce it.”
On Dec. 13, Hochul—who took over after then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in August—said her administration won’t attempt to compel counties into compliance with the mandate, which went into effect on Dec. 13 and runs until Jan. 15, 2022.
“I do hope that the businesses will enforce this, and individuals will understand how important it is,” she told reporters at a Dec. 13 briefing. “We have left it to the counties to enforce, so counties can choose not to enforce. But we hope counties are enforcing.”
https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_morningbrief/growing-number-of-new-york-counties-wont-become-mask-police-amid-governors-mandate_4161267.html