2015 Scott Griggs (District 1)

!

!

Candidate(name:(( Scott%Griggs(( ( ( ( Council(district:(1!!Please!complete!questionnaire!below.!!You!must!send!a!completed!electronic!copy!to!Political@StonewallDemocratsOfDallas.org!or!mail!a!completed!copy!to!P.O.!Box!192305!Dallas,!TX!75219!by!Monday,!March!2nd.!!!

1. Your(background(and(the(LGBT(community(!!Please%share%any%experience%that%illustrates%your%understanding%and%interest%of%the%needs%of%LGBT%Dallas%residents.%%%% As(a(district(representative(for(a(large(number(of(LGBT(citizens(in(Dallas,(I(have(expended(significant(time(and(energy(to(learn(about(LGBT(needs(and(to(advocate(effectively(to(meet(them.%%Once(reelected(to(council(in(2013,(I(continued(to(work(to(advance(the(LGBT(resolution(to(ultimate(adoption(by(council.((I(also(actively(campaigned(for(the(inclusion(of(equality(language(in(our(city(charter(and(was(extremely(encouraged(by(the(huge(margin(of(approval.((Our(council(resolution(also(directed(our(board(members(on(the(Citys(two(pension(systems(to(advocate(for(equal(benefits.((I(sit(on(the(Dallas(Police(and(Fire(Pension((DPFP)(board(and(have(supported(sending(a(plan(amendment(to(the(membership(for(a(vote(prior(to(the(approval(of(equal(benefits.(((I(also(sat(on(the(DPFP(LGBT(Committee,(which(advanced(equal(benefits(to(the(entire(DPFP(board.((I(am(pleased(by(the(recent(votes(of(both(of(the(Citys(two(pension(systems.%

%Stonewall%Democrats%of%Dallas%seek%to%inform%members%of%the%LGBT%and%Democratic%Party%community%of%candidate's%political%background.%Our%organizations%byElaws%require%us%only%to%consider%candidates%with%Democratic%Primary%voter%history%or%or%affirms%their%party%affiliation%via%an%oath%of%allegiance%to%the%Democratic%Party.%Do%you%qualify%or%would%you%be%prepared%to%sign%an%oath%of%allegiance%form%from%the%Dallas%County%Democratic%Party?%((( Yes(and(Yes((

2. Creating(an(inclusive(community(!!Cities%compete%for%residents,%tax%payers,%conventions%and%new%businesses/economic%development.%As%a%member%of%the%Dallas%City%Council,%how%would%you%insure%that%Dallas%can%compete%effectively%with%other%cities%in%the%area%of%LGBT%inclusion?%%%

!

!

% At(a(minimum,(Dallas(must(enact(total(legal(equality(including(equal(employment(opportunity(and(benefits(equality.((Our(enforcement(of(these(standards(must(be(robust(and(transparent.((We(can(do(much(more,(however.((I(support(and(promote(the(work(of(the(LGBT(Chamber.((The(city(should(also(actively(encourage(its(vendors(to(match(city(policies(in(equal(employment(and(benefits.((We(also(should(use(our(welcoming(nature(to(recruit(LGBT(workers(and(LGBTRowned(companies(to(Dallas.(

%Would%you%recruit%and%consider%qualified%LGBT%constituents%for%your%commission%and%board%appointments?%%% I(have(a(large(number(of(LGBT(constituents(on(boards(and(commissions(and(plan(on(continuing(to(have(a(large(number(of(LGBT(constituents(on(boards(and(commissions.(

%Will%you%support%the%Dallas%City%Council's%resolution%for%marriage%equality%and%also%a%statewide%ban%on%LGBT%employment%discrimination?%!!! Yes.(

%Mayor%Rawlings%has%refused%to%join%the%nationwide%effort%of%mayors%of%300%cities%and%32%states%to%become%a%member%of%Mayors%for%the%Freedom%to%Marry.%This%effort%is%chaired%by%Mayors%of%Boston,%New%York%City,%Houston%and%Los%Angeles.%Would%you%actively%lobby%and%take%action%to%encourage%Mayor%Rawlings%to%join%this%effort?%(Please!see!http://www.freedomtomarry.org/pages/mayors8for8the8freedom8to8marry)!!!! I(have(and(will(continue(to(do(so.(

!

!

!3. The(City(of(Dallas(as(a(LGBT(inclusive(employer(!

!The%private%sector%has%seen%a%large%increase%in%policies%and%benefits%for%LGBT%employees,%how%should%the%City%of%Dallas%remain%competitive%to%attract%and%retain%top%LGBT%talent?%%%% See(above.((Benefits(equality(and(vendor(standards(are(two(of(the(easiest(things(we(could(do.((We(should(also(seek(to(reform(our(city(workforce(so(that(the(jobs(we(offer(are(more(attractive(to(top(talent(regardless(of(sexual(orientation(or(gender(identity(and(expression.(

%Do%you%support%comprehensive%transgender%inclusive%health%benefits%and%as%a%council%member%work%with%the%City%Manager%to%implement%such%benefits?!!! I(am(proud(to(have(supported(the(recent(expansion(of(trans(health(benefits(and(will(keep(working(for(inclusion(of(affirming(operations(and(procedures.(

!4. Current(Events!

!( The%Governor%and%several%state%legislators%intend%to%push%legislation%through%to%curtail%the%current%scope%of%governance%of%home%rule%cities%like%Dallas.%This%could%remove%local%control%over%matters%such%as%drilling%within%city%limits,%LGBT%protections,%etc.%Do%you%favor%or%oppose%this,%and%what%do%you%plan%to%do%in%response?!!( I(strongly(oppose.((As(a(councilmember,(I(work(to(shape(our(opposition(to(these(bills(and(will(personally(lobby(in(Austin(for(their(defeat.((I(have(already(visited(Austin(once(in(the(last(week(on(a(such(a(lobbying(effort(and(will(be(in(Austin(again(on(Wednesday,(March(4,(2015.(!!What%are%your%thoughts%on%the%current%campaign%finance%rules%for%Dallas%elections%which%set%donation%amount%limits%on%people%newly%seeking%office%but%essentially%place%no%donation%amount%limits%on%incumbents%via%unrestricted%officeholder%accounts%which%may%be%used%for%campaign%purposes?!!( Reform(was(needed(and(I(am(proud(of(my(efforts(to(draft(a(memorandum(to(bring(about(the(changes(enacted(by(Council(on(Wednesday,(February(25,(2015.(((!The%proposed%Trinity%Parkway%toll%road%continues%to%make%headlines.%Do%you%see%the%Trinity%Parkway%as%an%essential%roadway%project%to%alleviate%projected%road%congestion%around%our%downtown%core,%or%are%there%other%solutions%that%Dallas%should%be%focused%on?!!! I(have(and(will(continue(to(oppose(the(Trinity(Tollroad.((Further(I(will(continue(to(advocate(for(alternatives(including(the(completion(of(Project(Pegasus(and(multiRmodal(transportation(projects(like(the(streetcar(and(bike(lanes.(!

!

!

Given%that%tax%revenue%for%the%City%of%Dallas%should%rise%this%year%without%a%tax%rate%increase,%what%are%the%top%priorities%to%which%these%additional%funds%should%be%directed%citywide%and%within%your%district?(( !! Quality(of(life(spending(is(the(top(priority.((Streets,(parks,(libraries,(animal(services,(poverty(initiatives,(infrastructure(maintenance.(% !!!I,!Scott!Griggs,!am!seeking!an!endorsement!from!the!Stonewall!Democrats!of!Dallas!for!the!2013!Dallas!City!Council!elections.!!!

Signed! Date!March!2,!2015