DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF) – Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson plans to implement a mask mandate for city owned buildings.
The Mayor’s announcement came just days after Governor Abbott said he will lift the statewide mask mandate next week. The mandate was put in place last year after coronavirus cases began to surge in Texas.
“I honestly don’t know why [the Governor] felt now was the time to do this,” said Mayor Johnson. “I believe that from what I’ve seen from the CDC and medical professionals, we are nowhere near the level of vaccination that we need to be considering stopping something that has proven to be effective in stopping the spread of the disease.”
The Governor said this week that he encourages the use of masks but that because of lowering COVID metrics and increased vaccination, Texas has reached a point where a state mandate is no longer necessary.
The Mayor said city attorneys are looking into the legality of his proposed mandate.
“The way I understand it is that my executive orders have the power of a city ordinance during an emergency,” Mayor Johnson said.
The Governor gave local leaders the ability to enforce restrictions if their Trauma Service Area exceeded a 15% COVID hospitalization rate for 7 days or longer. Dallas is currently below that threshold. They Mayor hopes to issue his mandate before the statewide requirement is lifted next Wednesday.
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