NOT YET APPROVED
Resolution No. ________
Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Denouncing Trump Administration Threats to Palo Alto Values and Interests
R E C I T A L S
A. The Palo Alto City Council has previously adopted values to guide its decision making:
1. Balance revenues and expenses, now and in the future.
2. Are environmentally sustainable, now and in the future.
3. Will integrate equity into our decisions, considering how decisions affect people differently based on their identity or circumstances.
4. Create a healthy, safe and welcoming community for all.
5. Will safeguard public trust through transparent practices and open communication.
6. Will embrace innovation.
B. The Trump Administration has already issued a relentless stream of Executive Orders, including those that would dismantle or cripple federal agencies providing services to Palo Alto, withhold funds upon which Palo Altans rely, are likely illegal, and are in conflict with our values.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto RESOLVES as follows:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Palo Alto, consistent with our statement of values, hereby
•Supports the rule of law, in contrast to the Administration’s actions ignoring constitutional and other legal norms; already necessitating the filing of numerous lawsuits to restrain such behavior.
•Strongly opposes freezing federal grant funding or cancelling federal contracts upon which the City government or residents rely, such as Community Development Block Grants for local human services nonprofits, COPS funding, and airport and grade separation grants. Palo Alto has recently received grants from HUD, DOI, DOJ, DOT, Treasury, NEH, HHS, and Homeland Security;
•Supports federal workers providing valuable services for the City and its residents, such as the critical safety services provided by the Federal Aviation Administration; and denounces attempts to subvert the civil service system with unlawful terminations; and further denounces disregard for the critical expertise of government workers; •Denounces reversing climate action and environmental justice policies, such as pulling out of the Paris Accords and ramping up oil and gas production on federal lands, and opposes attempts to limit local authority to address climate change;
NOT YET APPROVED
•Supports the safety of sensitive data of the City, our residents, and our businesses, and objects to improper access to critical information that violates privacy rights and risks misuse of valuable proprietary information;
•Opposes threatening the safety of Palo Altans by diminishing the ability of the FBI and CIA to respond to security threats, protect innovation, and prevent domestic terrorism; •Supports science and denounces replacing experts with lay decision makers on issues of scientific protocol and funding priorities;
•Strongly objects to any illegal and inhumane immigration enforcement; and •Supports equity and racial justice and commits to continuing the City’s DEI efforts and priority to be a place of belonging for all.
SECTION 2. In furtherance of these positions, the City will •Share this Resolution with our Congressional representatives and offer our support to advocate for these principles
•Communicate with residents about risks to the City and its residents due to Administration activity inconsistent with these positions, and about the City’s response; •Seek Council approval to bring or join lawsuits or file or join in amicus briefs consistent with these positions, our statement of values, and council-approved legislative guidelines; and
•Support other cities and counties taking similar actions, and partner with others to build collective action.
SECTION 3. The Council finds that the adoption of this resolution does not meet the definition of a project under Public Resources Code Section 21065, thus, no environmental assessment under the California Environmental Quality Act is required.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
NOT YET APPROVED
ATTEST:
__________________________ _____________________________ City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED:
__________________________ _____________________________ City Attorney City Manager