WHEREAS, the City of Walla Walla passed Municipal Ordinance A-2405 on May 13, 1970 which classified the City of Walla Walla as a nonchartered code city under Title 35A of the Revised Code Washington (RCW); andThere are several key points about this resolution:
WHEREAS, the State of Washington enacted RCW ch. 70.235 to continue its leadership on climate change policy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, RCW 70.235.070 requires state agencies to consider when distributing funds whether entities requesting award of capital funds for infrastructure and economic development projects have adopted policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, the City of Walla Walla has recognized in environment and natural resourses [sic] (ENR) policy 14 and other policies in its comprehensive plan adopted by City Ordinance 2008-25 on November 5,2008 that the City should participate in broader efforts to minimize climate change; and
WHEREAS, the Walla Walla City Council has considered this matter during a regularly and duly called public meeting of said Council, has given said matter careful review and consideration, and finds that good government and the best interests of the City of Walla Walla will be served by passage of this resolution.
1. While the Sustainability Committee did review the draft resolution, they did not formally endorse the resolution, nor recommend that it be passed by the City Council. The meeting minutes for 3 April 2012 says:
The group did not feel they had enough time to review the Policy in order to give an official endorsement, but the verbiage included in the existing draft as well as the consideration of the feedback of their comments was sufficient to have a consensus of approval to move forward with presenting the draft policy to the Council at the April 9th work session. Melissa will include the suggestions in the next draft that is reviewed by City Manager prior to being sent to the Council for review at the work session. Melissa will note in the Staff Report that the Committee has reviewed the Policy, but not indicate that it is ‘endorsing’ the Policy as presented at this meeting due to the lack of review time.However, the resolution was passed on 25 April, as noted above, by the City Council (including at least one spelling error that any decent word processor should have caught). The City Council did not listen to their advisory committee on Sustainability.
2. Greenhouse Gas Reduction policies are an element of Agenda 21 (more information on Agenda 21 is here). Which, by extension, means this is yet another intrusion of Agenda 21 into Walla Walla County, approved by our elected officials.
3. The apparent reason for this passage was RCW 70.235.070, which penalizes local governments which do not pass this resolution. In effect, the City of Walla Walla sold part of our freedoms for cash, with some strong arm tactics by the State of Washington (including the Legislature).
These facts, by themselves may sound innocent, bizarre, or even "business as usual". But they add up to a creeping authoritarianism, camouflaged with an environmentally friendly message, that has been building for years.
Nor are these unique incidents; when a property owner has to submit a biological opinion in order to get a remodeling permit, things have gone too far. It's time to stop this slow spread of rule by bureaucratic fiat, by regaining control of our local government.
The environment can be protected, but we need not sell our souls to do so. Remember this when you vote. And make your feelings known to your elected officials; there are links aplenty on the sidebar to the City County and County Commissioners.
Thanks to all the Tea Party members who discussed this at the May meeting.
