Just landed in the Hustle’s inbox …
Austin Council Members To Propose Arizona Boycott Austin, Texas – Austin Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, City Council Member Bill Spelman and Mayor Lee Leffingwell announced today that they will introduce a resolution at the May 13th City Council meeting directing the City Manager to limit employee travel to Arizona and to present a plan to the Council for terminating business and investment relationships with the State of Arizona. “The reasons for introducing this measure are two-fold,” said Mayor Pro Tem Martinez. “First and foremost, we want to ensure that we are not exposing city employees to risk by sending them into an uncertain and potentially hostile environment in Arizona. Second, we want to send a loud and clear message to the State of Arizona that our community stands in vehement opposition to racial discrimination in any form.” “This resolution has precedent in past Council actions,” added Martinez. “For example, we’ve previously passed policies prohibiting the city from doing business with manufacturers who utilize sweatshop labor. It is squarely within the Council’s purview to determine with whom the city should or should not do business based on their practices.” The resolution comes on the heels of passage of SB 1070 in Arizona that effectively mandates racial profiling throughout the state. Other cities across the country, including Los Angeles and Washington D.C., are contemplating similar legislation. San Francisco has recently passed a resolution that will terminate all contracts with Arizona-based companies and end city business with the state. “Arizona’s new immigration law puts anyone traveling to the state in jeopardy of being detained, based on a law enforcement officer’s ‘reasonable suspicion’ that that person might be an undocumented immigrant,” said Council Member Bill Spelman. “That’s wrong, and I can’t responsibly allow our city employees to be placed at such a risk.” “While I’m normally reluctant to support the Council formally weighing in on issues outside of our jurisdiction, Arizona’s legislation potentially has a direct impact on our employees, and is generally so offensive that I believe it demands our attention,” said Mayor Leffingwell. “I’m supporting this resolution because I believe that we have a responsibility not only to protect our own employees, but also to speak out loudly against racial discrimination wherever it exists.”
