Update on Climate Action Plan
Aug. 29, 2018
Wednesday a climate action plan for Dallas cleared its second hurdle, a non-binding “straw vote” by City Council. Mayor and Council voted 12-0-2, for 12 in favor, none opposing and two abstentions by Councilmembers Philip Kingston and Omar Narvaez. Under consideration was a budget amendment recommended Monday by the Quality of Life committee, to fund development of a climate action plan such as some 60 U.S. cities have.
Two more budget votes lie between a climate action plan and possible funding.
On Wednesday, Sept. 5, a Council budget workshop will consider amendments and adopt the budget “on first reading.”
Tuesday, Sept. 18, is the final, binding budget adoption vote.
These are open public meetings, with no public comment. None but wearable comment, that is: lime green badges saying “Clear the Air with a Climate Plan” that residents sported at a dozen recent budget meetings.
Whether Kingston’s and Narvaez’ abstentions meant opposition to the climate plan is questionable. Both were among officials around the horseshoe and at Monday’s committee briefing who expressed frustration with the budget process itself. At the Mayor’s first reading of the vote as “two opposed,” Narvaez objected, “No, I helped bring this forward from committee, I’m not against this amendment.”
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