Jackson city officials delay consideration of anti-discrimination ordinance

Officials in Jackson are gearing up to consider an anti-discrimination ordinance that’s likely to be a lightning-rod issue for conservative activists who have been scrutinizing a similar human rights ordinance in Kalamazoo. Although originally slated to be on the city council’s agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, the proposed Jackson ordinance is now scheduled for Aug. 11, according to Bill Ross, Jackson’s city manager.

Both proponents and opponents of the measure are preparing for a ballot battle over the issue. But the looming public battle isn’t the reason why the issue is being delayed. Ross said that one council member, Carl Breeding will be attending a national meeting of the NAACP in New York City, and that the council delayed consideration until his return, adding that the issue is “important” to Breeding.

“It was important for [Breeding] to be there,” Ross said. “Council had earlier directed that the entire council wanted to be present when the ordinance was brought before the council for action.”

In a statement to Michigan Messenger, Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, said:

AFA-Michigan stands ready to help Jackson residents any way we can to stop this discriminatory “gay rights”/cross-dressing “rights” ordinance which threatens both religious freedom and the privacy rights of women and children in public restrooms and other facilities.

Similar language was used in the build up around the passage of the Kalamazoo anti-discrimination ordinance. The Kalamazoo City Commission unanimously adopted the new ordinance June 29, but opponents said they started collecting signatures to put the measure to a vote. Opponents have organized into a group calling itself Kalamazoo Citizens Voting No to Special Rights Discrimination.

The group was able to present the city commission with enough signatures to push a ballot measure back in December when the commission first approved the new ordinance. As a result, the commission repealed the ordinance, but vowed to pass it again.

Opponents of the Kalamazoo ordinance had 20 days from June 29 to collect 1,274 signatures of voters to cause a November vote on the ordinance.

And the similarities between Kalamazoo and Jackson are not lost on Kathleen Conley, chairwoman of the Jackson Human Relations Commission.

“We are keeping a close eye on [the Kalamazoo ballot initiative],” Conley said.

Conley says she would prefer not to “put civil rights up for a vote,” if the city council rejects the ordinance, supporters will do their own ballot drive, as a “last ditch move.”

But she said the ordinance has had positive reaction thus far from most citizens.

“I don’t wanna say I am surprised, but I am glad I guess,” Conley said about the depth of the support. She said it has come from businesses and many community members. “I am looking forward to working with people who are the same page.”

Conley said she sees this ordinance as an economic driver in a difficult economic time. She said the city is competing to become a stop on any high-speed rail that might be built between Chicago and Detroit and that it has become a favorite for Hollywood film makers with its decommissioned prisons.

“We need to be a competitive, safe community,” she said.