Candidatename: PhilipKingston

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