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Councildistrict:14
Pleasecompletequestionnairebelow.
YoumustsendacompletedelectroniccopytoPolitical@StonewallDemocratsOfDallas.orgormailacompletedcopyto
P.O.Box192305Dallas,TX75219byMonday,March2nd.
1. YourbackgroundandtheLGBTcommunity
PleaseshareanyexperiencethatillustratesyourunderstandingandinterestoftheneedsofLGBTDallasresidents.
AsthedistrictrepresentativeforthelargestnumberofLGBTcitizensinDallas,Ihaveexpendedsignificant
timeandenergytolearnaboutLGBTneedsandtoadvocateeffectivelytomeetthem.
Onceelectedtocouncil,IworkedwiththeLGBTTaskForcetoadvancetheLGBTresolutiontoultimate
adoptionbycouncil.Iactuallydraftedkeypartsoftheresolutionincludingtheprovisionthatrequiresthecity
toplaceequalityissuesinitslegislativelobbyingagenda.Ialsoactivelycampaignedfortheinclusionof
equalitylanguageinourcitycharterandwasextremelyencouragedbythehugemarginofapproval.My
workoncouncilearnedmetheTaskForces1stAllyAward.
Ourcouncilresolutionalsodirectedourboardmembersonthecitystwopensionsystemstoadvocatefor
equalbenefits.IsitontheDallasPoliceandFirePensionboardandhavesupportedsendingaplan
amendmenttothemembershipforavote.IhavealsoworkedwithLambdaLegalandJohnRogersto
advocateforequalbenefitsattheEmployeeRetirementFundincludingmultiplepagesoflegalanalysistothe
boardofthatfund.
IhavetakenonmultipleadvocacytasksinpartnershipwiththeResourceCenterwithafocusonadding
genderidentityandexpressionlanguagetolocalnondiscriminationpoliciesliketheoneattheDallasbranch
oftheFederalReserve(workinprogress).Iwasa2014FiveFactorhonoree.
Onanationallevel,IserveasaboardmemberforNationalLeagueofCitiesGLBTLocalOfficialsadvocating
forinclusionofequalityissuesinNLCsfederallegislativeadvocacy.
StonewallDemocratsofDallasseektoinformmembersoftheLGBTandDemocraticPartycommunityofcandidate's
politicalbackground.OurorganizationsbylawsrequireusonlytoconsidercandidateswithDemocraticPrimary
voterhistoryororaffirmstheirpartyaffiliationviaanoathofallegiancetotheDemocraticParty.Doyouqualifyor
wouldyoubepreparedtosignanoathofallegianceformfromtheDallasCountyDemocraticParty?
Yesandyes
2. Creatinganinclusivecommunity
Citiescompeteforresidents,taxpayers,conventionsandnewbusinesses/economicdevelopment.Asamemberof
theDallasCityCouncil,howwouldyouinsurethatDallascancompeteeffectivelywithothercitiesintheareaofLGBT
inclusion?
Ataminimum,Dallasmustenacttotallegalequalityincludingequalemploymentopportunityandbenefits
equality.Ourenforcementofthesestandardsmustberobustandtransparent.Butwecandomuch
more.IsupportandpromotetheworkoftheLGBTChamber.Thecityshouldalsoactivelyencourageits
vendorstomatchcitypoliciesinequalemploymentandbenefits.Wealsoshoulduseourwelcoming
naturetorecruitLGBTworkersandLGBTownedcompaniestoDallas.
WouldyourecruitandconsiderqualifiedLGBTconstituentsforyourcommissionandboardappointments?
Alreadydid.MyLGBTappointeesarethebestmembersoftheirboardsandcommissions.
WillyousupporttheDallasCityCouncil'sresolutionformarriageequalityandalsoastatewidebanonLGBT
employmentdiscrimination?
Ifsomeonecanfindawayformetosupportitmoreeffectively,Imopentosuggestion.
MayorRawlingshasrefusedtojointhenationwideeffortofmayorsof300citiesand32statestobecomeamember
ofMayorsfortheFreedomtoMarry.ThiseffortischairedbyMayorsofBoston,NewYorkCity,HoustonandLos
Angeles.WouldyouactivelylobbyandtakeactiontoencourageMayorRawlingstojointhiseffort?(Pleasesee
http://www.freedomtomarry.org/pages/mayorsforthefreedomtomarry)
Ihaveandwillcontinuetodoso,butIquestionhiscommitmenttoequality.
3. TheCityofDallasasaLGBTinclusiveemployer
TheprivatesectorhasseenalargeincreaseinpoliciesandbenefitsforLGBTemployees,howshouldtheCityofDallas
remaincompetitivetoattractandretaintopLGBTtalent?
Seeabove.Benefitsequalityandvendorstandardsaretwooftheeasiestthingswecoulddo.Weshouldalso
seektoreformourcityworkforcesothatthejobsweofferaremoreattractivetotoptalentregardlessof
sexualorientationorgenderidentityandexpression
DoyousupportcomprehensivetransgenderinclusivehealthbenefitsandasacouncilmemberworkwiththeCity
Managertoimplementsuchbenefits?
Iamproudtohaveadvocatedfortherecentexpansionoftranshealthbenefitsandwillkeepworking
forinclusionofsurgicalbenefits.
4. CurrentEvents
TheGovernorandseveralstatelegislatorsintendtopushlegislationthroughtocurtailthecurrentscopeof
governanceofhomerulecitieslikeDallas.Thiscouldremovelocalcontrolovermatterssuchasdrillingwithincity
limits,LGBTprotections,etc.Doyoufavororopposethis,andwhatdoyouplantodoinresponse?
Itsapotentialcatastrophe.Asamemberofcouncilslegislativeadhoccommittee,Ihaveshapedouropposition
tothesebillsandwillpersonallylobbyinAustinfortheirdefeat.
WhatareyourthoughtsonthecurrentcampaignfinancerulesforDallaselectionswhichsetdonationamountlimits
onpeoplenewlyseekingofficebutessentiallyplacenodonationamountlimitsonincumbentsviaunrestricted
officeholderaccountswhichmaybeusedforcampaignpurposes?
Thatsadraftingerrorthatdoesnotreflecttheoriginalintentofthelimits.Iwillworktoclosetheloopholeso
thattheplayingfieldislevelforeveryone.ThecurrentloopholemakesDallassethicsruleunconstitutionalunderboth
stateandfederallaw.
TheproposedTrinityParkwaytollroadcontinuestomakeheadlines.DoyouseetheTrinityParkwayasanessential
roadwayprojecttoalleviateprojectedroadcongestionaroundourdowntowncore,orarethereothersolutionsthat
Dallasshouldbefocusedon?
ThetollroadisthemostrelevantcurrentexampleofanentrenchedpowerelitesabilitytomanipulateDallascity
governmenttothwartthewillofthePeople.Itservesnocongestionmitigationpurposeoranyotherlegitimatepublic
purpose.Ifbuilt,itwilldestroyasensitivenaturalresourceandundermineapotentiallytransformativepark.Iwillwork
toendtheproject.
GiventhattaxrevenuefortheCityofDallasshouldrisethisyearwithoutataxrateincrease,whatarethetop
prioritiestowhichtheseadditionalfundsshouldbedirectedcitywideandwithinyourdistrict?
Qualityoflifespendingisthetoppriority.Streets,parks,libraries,animalservices,
povertyinitiatives,infrastructuremaintentance.
I,PhilipKingston,amseekinganendorsementfromtheStonewallDemocratsofDallasforthe2013DallasCityCouncil
elections.
Signed/s/PhilipKingston,Date02/20/15