Common Council unanimous in approving citywide masking policy

Today I voted with my Common Council colleagues in unanimously approving the MKE Cares ordinance, a citywide mandatory masking policy covering indoor public spaces and outdoor public spaces (under certain conditions).

I believe the MKE Cares ordinance will help us slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and will increase the chances of keeping more Milwaukee adults, children and families from being infected. All residents age three and older will be covered by the ordinance, which I believe will help save lives in our city.

Today the Council also unanimously approved a measure that will provide a face mask at no charge to every resident of Milwaukee. The details of how free masks will be distributed will be announced soon and I will share that information when it becomes available.

The support for the MKE Cares ordinance has been overwhelming and includes hundreds of business owners who co-signed a letter of support, more than 12,000 people adding their names to a change.org petition, our local healthcare providers voicing their support for mask wearing, and numerous other health professionals who have acknowledged that masks can help save lives.

An online system to receive e-comments on the MKE Cares ordinance (via the Public Safety and Health Committee) to date has received 864 comments in support, 587 in opposition and 18 neutral.

I want to thank the author of the MKE Cares ordinance – my colleague Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic – as well as the rest of my colleagues in giving this important legislation a unanimous vote of approval.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.