Nebraska’s Gov threatens to withhold federal COVID-19 funds from local governments if they make it mandatory to wear masks in public buildings – despite urging people to cover their faces to stop the spread
- Nebraska Gov Pete Ricketts told local governments they won’t receive federal COVID-19 funds if they make it mandatory to wear masks in public buildings
- It is is at odds with his usual message of encouraging people to wear masks to slow the spread
- As recently as Thursday, Gov Ricketts tweeted the need for people to wear a mask inside stores
- But Ricketts has told governments they will not receive any of the $100 million in funding if they make people wear masks in buildings like courthouses
- He has argued that a failure to wear a mask should not prohibit people from accessing taxpayers services
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Nebraska’s governor has threatened to withhold federal COVID-19 funding from local governments if they make it mandatory to wear masks in public buildings – despite him urging people to cover their faces to stop the spread.
The mandate from Republican Governor Pete Ricketts is at odds with his usual message of encouraging people to wear masks to slow the spread.
As recently as Thursday, Gov Ricketts tweeted the need for people to wear a mask inside stores.
‘When you’re out in public places, keep six feet of distance from other people. Continue to wash your hands often, avoid large groups of people, and wear a mask when you go to the store,’ he said.
But Ricketts has told local governments they will not receive any of the $100 million in COVID-19 federal funding if they make their ‘customers’ wear masks in courthouses and other local administrative offices, the Omaha World-Herald reports.
Nebraska’s Republican Governor Pete Ricketts has threatened to withhold federal COVID-19 funding from local governments if they make it mandatory to wear masks in public buildings
The governor stands by that advice, his spokesman Taylor Gage said.
He said local governments can encourage mask-wearing in courthouses and other county government buildings but the governor ‘does not believe that failure to wear a mask should be the basis for denying taxpayers’ services’.
‘Counties are not prohibited from requiring masks, but if they want CARES Act money, they have to be fully open, and that means they cannot deny service for not wearing a mask,’ the spokesman said.
The mandate is drawing objections from county officials, who say it runs counter to Nebraska’s long-held bent toward local control and the advice of public health officials.
In Lincoln, officials planned to require all visitors to wear masks when entering the City-County Building, but those rules were dropped when officials learned that doing so would cost Lancaster County any chance at the $100 million that has been allotted to Nebraska counties as part of the federal economic rescue law.
The mandate from Republican Governor Pete Ricketts is at odds with his usual message of encouraging people to wear masks to slow the spread. As recently as Thursday, Gov Ricketts tweeted the need for people to wear a mask inside stores
A man wearing a face mask exits the Sarpy County administration building in Papillion, Nebraska, on Thursday. The sign says face coverings are ‘strongly recommended’
‘We’d like to have a little bit more ability to call the shots in our courthouse, but we realize that he has the right to set the rules,’ said Deb Schorr, a longtime Lancaster County Board member.
Dakota County Assessor Jeff Curry said the order could have dire consequences in his county, which is home to a Tyson Foods meatpacking plant and has been one of the hardest-hit counties in the nation for the virus.
Curry said he was hoping that a mask requirement could be in place for the courthouse through July 1.
Nebraska continues to pull back on restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus, even as more cases are recorded.
On Wednesday, the state saw nearly 200 news cases of the virus reported, bringing Nebraska’s total to 17,226, according to the state’s health department
Nebraska has seen a total to 234 deaths related to the COVID-19 virus.
Nebraska continues to pull back on restrictions meant to slow the spread of the virus, even as more cases are recorded. On Wednesday, the state saw nearly 200 news cases of the virus reported, bringing Nebraska’s total to 17,226
The state has seen a downward trend in the number of coronavirus hospitalizations per day in recent weeks