BOISE, ID—On Thursday, Idaho Freedom Foundation President Wayne Hoffman excoriated Boise Mayor Lauren McLean for releasing new government edicts that will hurt businesses and their employees, turn neighbors against each other, and waste precious city resources.
“Does the mayor really intend to tell a teenaged coffee shop barista that her failure to enforce the mask mandate could cost her employer's business license? That she and all her coworkers might be out of work if she doesn't snitch on their customers? Does the mayor want people calling the police on neighbors out for a walk without a face covering? Did the mayor forget that her order still includes a health exemption, which allows people not to wear a mask? The mayor's action will create needless conflict,” Hoffman said. “McLean’s dictatorial approach encourages neighbors to turn on each other, destroying the very fabric of this community.”
"This is Idaho, a free state in a free country. McLean’s approach is not and never has been the Idahoan or the American way of governing. Maybe New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo would be impressed. The rest of us are not. Gov. Brad Little, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, and other state and local officials should immediately call on the mayor to rescind this heavy-handed order."
Hoffman also criticized Mayor McLean for wasting police resources on mask enforcement.
“The Boise Police Department does a great job keeping residents here safe from violent crimes, and McLean should allow the city's police officers to continue doing that,” Hoffman said. “This order wastes law enforcement’s time and effort, and ultimately puts residents at risk. Shame on the mayor for asking Boise police officers to enforce her tyrannical order.”
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