'I Think It's Good': Costa Mesa Begins Issuing Fines To People Who Violate Face Covering Order
COSTA MESA (CBSLA) — With coronavirus cases soaring across Orange County, the city of Costa Mesa said police and code enforcement officers will start issuing citations for people not abiding by the statewide face covering order.
"You know what? I think it's good," David Arellana, a Costa Mesa resident, said. "Maybe people learn to follow rules and do what's right to prevent viruses and everything else."
Those who choose not to wear a face covering in public will face a $100 fine for the first violation, $200 for the second violation and $500 for subsequent violations. The maximum fine is $1,000.
"I don't know," Helen Vals, a Huntington Beach resident, said. "I don't know if that's too heavy handed, but they probably should because I don't know how else they would enforce it.
Costa Mesa's face covering rule applies to business owners and managers as well. Mayor Katrina Foley said it was up to them to enforce the order and customers must abide by the order or face a fine.
"If you're coming into Costa Mesa from a community where they don't require masks, they don't enforce the mask orders," Foley said. "we want everyone to know we take it seriously, and you're going to be cited with a fine if you come to Costa Mesa and you try to shop and you try to harass our business owners who are trying to comply with the law."
No citations have been issued yet, but the Foley said the education period is over and it was time for people to get serious about wearing face coverings while out in public.
As of Tuesday, Orange County health officials reported 30,97 total coronavirus cases and 513 deaths.
