The mayor of Champaign, Illinois decided to give herself the power to ban the sale of guns and alcohol after declaring a citywide emergency to deal with the coronavirus; there is not one case of the virus in her city.
The Washington Examiner is reporting that Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen signed an executive order late last week declaring an emergency for the city, which comes with some incredible powers that she can enforce for a short time:
Among the powers Feinen gained after signing the executive order was the power to ban the sale of guns, ammunition, alcohol, and gasoline. Feinen could also cut off access to individuals’ gas, water, or electricity. The city also has the ability to “take possession of private property” or order the temporary closing of all bars or liquor stores.
The city’s manager, Jeff Hamilton told a local radio station:
“The executive order allows the city to be flexible to properly respond to the emergency needs of our community. None of the options will necessarily be implemented but are available in order to protect the welfare and safety of our community if needed.”
Deputy Mayor Tom Bruno explained that the city council would need to ratify each statement and that these steps are to “ensure the health, safety, and welfare” of the city.
“The City will keep the public’s best interest in mind as we continue to work alongside public health officials and countywide leaders,” the council said in a statement. “We understand this is a challenging time but working collaboratively as a community is the best approach to combating this virus.”
Please read the statement below then watch the excerpt from today’s meeting, which explains what the emergency order entails. The full meeting will be shared on social media and on the City’s website shortly as well. https://t.co/MpVhs5woxW pic.twitter.com/Ly0EeNfFht
— City of Champaign (@champaigncity) March 13, 2020
As of Friday morning, the State of Illinois had 32 confirmed cases however, none of them have occurred in central Illinois near the city of Champaign.
