Yorktown to Governor: Mask Mandate Hurting Local Businesses

Uneven enforcement of a statewide mask mandate is causing shoppers to spurn Westchester businesses in favor of merchants in counties that decided not to enforce the mask mandate.

Today Supervisor Matt Slater asked Gov. Kathy Hochul to reexamine the indoor mask mandate that took effect on Monday. Supervisor Slater asked the governor to allow municipalities the authority to decide what makes sense for them.

“You have recently stated that counties can choose to enforce your indoor mask mandate,” Supervisor wrote in his letter. “This is creating a disparity for municipalities like mine whose customers are going to neighboring counties that are choosing not to enforce it.”

Supervisor Slater has already received messages from local business owners who have been told by customers that they will shop in Putnam County, which sits on Yorktown’s northern border. Putnam County officials have declared that they will not enforce the mask mandate.

“It is disappointing to learn that some of our residents would choose to avoid our local stores and restaurants because of a mask mandate,” said Supervisor Slater. “I’m asking all our residents to support Yorktown and its local business owners, who do not deserve to be abandoned in the middle of the holiday shopping season.”

A copy of Supervisor Slater’s letter to the governor is attached below.

Contact:  Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater, 914-962-5722 x201 or mslater@yorktownny.org