Moscow City Council candidates differ on LGBTQ protections

Moscow City Council candidates once again delivered stances on issues like housing and downtown parking, but also addressed their beliefs on LGBTQ protections and climate change Tuesday at a candidate forum at Renfrew Hall on the University of Idaho campus in Moscow.

The forum, hosted by UI’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Department of Politics and Philosophy and Center for Volunteerism and Social Action, was the final one before voters hit the polls Tuesday.

Kelsey Berends, human resources and talent acquisition manager at Emsi; Sandra Kelly, an employee at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute; Maureen Laflin, a UI College of Law faculty member; Brandon Mitchell, owner of six Jiffy Lube locations in the region; James Urquidez, owner and operator of Classic Wood Floors and Carpentry; and Anne Zabala, executive director of Backyard Harvest, are the six candidates seeking three four-year council positions held by Zabala, Jim Boland and Kathryn Bonzo. Boland and Bonzo are not running for reelection.

The candidates were asked whether they would remove, uphold or expand the 2013 anti-discrimination ordinance the Moscow City Council passed, which makes it illegal to make housing and employment decisions based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Moscow is one of a handful of cities in Idaho that have such an ordinance.

Urquidez said he would uphold the ordinance, if elected, but does not think it serves a purpose. “Laws will never change the hearts of people,” he said.

Urquidez said everyone has the same rights. While answering the question, he described an incident in which he accidentally and unlawfully fired his pistol inside his Moscow residence and was cited by police for the incident.

Mitchell also said no law will change a person’s heart and that he would be in favor of removing the ordinance because he feels it takes away from non-LGBTQ people’s rights.

“My biggest concern with this kind of a law is that it is in fact discriminating against other people,” said Mitchell, an answer which elicited quiet boos from some in the audience, which appeared to be made up mostly of UI students.

Berends also said she would remove the ordinance.

“One thing that I am very hesitant about is writing a finite list of people we cannot discriminate against,” she said.

Berends said people have inalienable rights that cover everyone and creating another list will exclude others.

“So that’s why I would be in favor of removing that thing, not because I do not see it as valid, but because I actually think those additions devalue people they are listing,” she said.

Zabala said she would uphold the ordinance and support expanding it at a statewide level.

“I think it was a no-brainer then. It’s a no-brainer now,” she said.

Kelly also said she would uphold it and want to have it expanded statewide because of the critical protections the ordinance covers for LGBTQ people.

“I would love if we didn’t have to have that (ordinance), but we do because that happens,” Kelly said. “I’m thankful that Moscow has that in place because there are protections for people and they need it — we need it. We need to protect each other.”

Laflin said she would uphold the ordinance and compared it to the 1960s civil rights movement, which many people at the time opposed, but positive changes eventually resulted from it.

“There’s no longer signs that say ‘blacks only,’ and I don’t want to live in a place that says ‘heterosexuals only,’ ” Laflin said. “We need resolutions.”

She said the state needs to litigate on behalf of LGBTQ people who have been discriminated against.

The candidates were also asked how they would work to mitigate climate change.

Berends said she would need to be sure climate change is the biggest issue because, she said, the city is facing several others related to the economy, jobs and water.

She said she wants to take care of the world with affordable measures.

Kelly said climate change is one of the major issues facing the city and the world.

To help address what she called a crisis, Kelly said, she wants Moscow businesses to use smart energy and for residents to limit their water use when watering plants and grass, installing more efficient toilets and taking shorter showers.

Laflin also said climate change is a huge issue and the city has taken several steps already, such as rebates for using more efficient toilets. However, she said, those steps are not enough, and an aggressive but realistic plan needs to be made within the next couple months to address climate change.

Mitchell said the city needs to turn to experts when it comes to climate change and the issues associated with it. He said creating incentives for businesses and working with the public for solutions are great ways to start.

Urquidez said the city needs to look at what larger towns are doing to address the problem. He said being a responsible resident, such as taking shorter showers and riding a bicycle instead of driving a car, can create huge change.

Zabala said the city council is in the process of reevaluating major challenge areas in the city and three issues being discussed are sidewalks, affordable housing and climate change.

She said she hopes to utilize the wealth of experts on the subject in Moscow because of the university to craft realistic solutions.

Unlike past candidate forums, the audience applauded after each candidate spoke. Answers from the three more progressive candidates — Kelly, Laflin and Zabala — were generally met with louder audience reactions.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.