MADISON, Wis. — Dane County Executive Joe Parisi is criticizing the Wisconsin State Legislature’s decision to throw out a statewide mask mandate, while issuing a reminder his mask requirement is still in place.
“As Wisconsin heads into the coldest week of weather we have seen in this pandemic – a time in which more of us will be indoors – the legislature just made that more dangerous,” Parisi said in a statement released after the State Assembly voted to approve a resolution to throw out the statewide mandate.
The resolution was set to take effect once it’s signed on Friday. However, local mandates like the one in Dane County will remain in effect, and Gov. Tony Evers immediately issued a new emergency order in its place.
Parisi accused Republicans in the Legislature of putting politics ahead of science.
“Science, medicine, and most businesses all agree: this is the wrong decision at the wrong time and goes against what should be a shared goal of keeping people healthy and restoring consumer confidence to get our economy back to what it was,” Parisi said.
Republicans, meanwhile, argue Democrats are putting politics ahead of the law, saying Gov. Tony Evers overstepped his authority when he extended his emergency order beyond 60 days without the approval of the legislature.
Parisi encouraged other local governments to issue their own mandates as a result, if they haven’t already.
“Dane County continues to have mask orders in place and we encourage other local units of government to join us in trying to end this pandemic once and for all,” Parisi said.
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