Fairbanks, Alaska Mayor Jim Matherly, a
Republican, on Friday vetoed an LGBT protections bill approved by the
city council.
Council members on Monday voted 4-2 in
favor of an ordinance (Ordinance 6093) that sought to extend
protections in the areas of employment, housing, and public
accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation and gender
identity.
“I do not take this action lightly,”
Matherly wrote in a letter to residents. “I became a sponsor of
Ordinance 6093 because I believe that all people should be treated
with dignity and respect, and the concept behind this Ordinance is
sound. As with most concepts, the details become challenging when
they affect so many people with different priorities and opinions.”
According to NBC News, three Alaska
cities – Anchorage, Juneau and Sitka – have LGBT-inclusive
non-discrimination laws on the books.
The
Anchorage Daily News reported that the city council has
14 days to override Matherly's veto, but it needs five votes to do
so.
Matherly said that he had made his
decision “after much soul searching, research, and examination of
all facets of the issues.”
He also said that he wants to put the
issue before voters in October.
“I believe this question should be
given to City residents that choose to exercise their voting rights,”
he wrote. “This ordinance is bigger than a Mayor and six Council
Members, and the decision needs to be in the hands of the voters of
Fairbanks.”
Last year, voters in Anchorage voted to
keep a similar law.
Lillian Lemon, who campaigned in favor
of Anchorage's measure, called Matherly's decision “spineless.”
“Mayor Matherly made a spineless
decision today to stand in the way of democracy and in the way of
basic human rights,” Lemon
told NBC News. “Regardless, we will make sure that when this
issue reaches the ballot, we [will] continue to stand with the people
of Fairbanks for equality and make sure Mayor Matherly knows that he
made the wrong decision.”