Lawmaker wants masks to be required in Akron

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AKRON, Ohio (WJW) — Ward 5 Akron Council Representative Tara Mosley-Samples hopes to follow the lead of the city of Dayton by requiring people to wear face coverings in large public gatherings.
Samples says the proposed legislation is not new.

She introduced it in April but as she pays attention to the coronavirus cases in Ohio and elsewhere starting to rise she hopes to introduce it in city council on July 13.

“This pandemic, this virus is not discriminating. It doesn’t care what color you are. It doesn’t care what social economic background you come from. This virus is attaching itself to everyone and we are seeing the effects of that now in Ohio,” she told FOX 8 News on Thursday.

Samples says she has paid attention to similar legislation passed in Dayton and her priority is taking care of those who are older and most vulnerable.

“It would require you to wear a mask when you are in public settings where there’s large groups of people. You would not be required to wear a mask when you are sitting at a restaurant eating; I mean, that’s just ridiculous.” “We are saying if you are in these massive groups of people wear a mask. If you are out jogging no one is saying wear a mask. If you are on a bike and you are cycling out on a trail no one is saying put a mask on,” said Samples.

Will Ohio see new restrictions with coronavirus surge?

Samples believes some of those opposed to the legislation are influenced by something other than the science.

She also strongly believes that the numbers of COVID-19 cases in Ohio and elsewhere are not exaggerated. “I don’t think the numbers are exacerbated. I do believe it has become politicized, absolutely; I think we are listening more to the people saying it is a hoax and fake news than except for science.”

Read the proposed legislationDownload

Her proposal would impose a civil penalty of $50 for violations.

That is less than the penalty in Dayton but she says the proposed ordinance is not about the money or about penalizing people. “I don’t want people to think this is about penalizing people; this is about keeping us all safe, keeping our community safe, keeping our city safe until we get away from this pandemic or until there is a vaccination found.”