City Beat: Public weighs in on SOGI ordinances

A divided crowd turned out in force at the Sept. 8 Springfield City Council meeting, where two sexual orientation and gender identity measures were the hot topic for some 45 public speakers.

At City Hall, the council chamber and two overflow rooms were filled, leaving an overflow crowd to listen to the meeting on loud speakers outside the building. Speaking to the SOGI bills, 24 supported the primary ordinance or its substitute, while 21 opposed extending protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

At the center of the debate is whether religious business and property owners have the right not to rent to, employ or serve people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Council Bill 2014-189 is similar to the original SOGI measure brought forward by the Mayor’s Commission on Human Rights in August 2012 in that it offered protections in the areas of housing, employment and public accommodations within the city based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill was amended, however, to broaden religious exemptions. Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky said the amendment was made with the recent Hobby Lobby decision in mind and offers exemptions beyond religious organizations, association, societies and schools to include faith-based corporations and individuals whose primary purpose is to worship or spread religious doctrine or supervise those who do.

Also introduced was a substitute bill, which had received the most support from the 16-month task force that studied the issue after the 2012 ordinance was tabled. That bill extended the city’s current protections in employment and public accommodations – for race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age (40 to 69 years) or disability – to include sexual orientation and gender identity only in the area of housing.

The public hearing on both bills was held simultaneously.

Those in favor consistently said discrimination is a reality for many and they wanted to see equal protection under the law. Opponents most often said the ordinances amounted to reverse discrimination against those with religious beliefs.

“I believe this bill is discriminatory against our liberties and freedoms as homeowners and business owners, who spend their lives working to build the American dream in this city,” Grant Bryan told council members. “I don’t think it’s just for a minority to come in and oppose its beliefs upon my business philosophies. I have a house that I choose to rent. I worked for that house. I own that house. I feel like I should have the right as an American to choose who I let into that house.”

Kathy Munzinger, president of the local chapter of Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays and co-owner of Springfield-based Munzinger & Co. Inc., a sales agency serving marine suppliers in the Midwest, said her lesbian daughter doesn’t deserve to be a target of discrimination.

“We have two children raised, educated and nurtured in Springfield of whom we are very proud. One of our children is gay, and one is not. Should that make any difference? Both deserve equal access to employment and housing in their hometown,” Munzinger said.

Speaking from the podium, former councilman Nick Ibarra said those opposed to the ordinances deserve council’s consideration, and supporters should show respect for those with religious views.

“Where is your tolerance for our way of life? Where is your acceptance for our differences?” Ibarra said. “If this is not the greatest display of hypocrisy this council has seen, then I don’t know what is.

“I hope as a council you will do what is moral and ethical and kill this bill.”

With the help of his son as translator, Mykola Illyuk said those with religious views shouldn’t have to choose between following their conscience and obeying the law.

“This ordinance would make it illegal for Christian businesspeople to practice their faith in the marketplace,” said Soviet-born Illyuk, who pastors 200 members at Bread of Life Slavic Church in Springfield. “In our church, we have many hard-working small-business owners, including photographers, caterers and wedding planners. Our religious beliefs do not allow us to participate in events like homosexual weddings. This ordinance would make it illegal for my church members to follow their religious beliefs.”

Doug Semling and others said supporting a nondiscrimination ordinance was not reverse discrimination.

“It is so simple. When you deal with the public, you treat everybody the same: Fairly. No discriminating,” Semling said.

Former Mid-West Family Broadcasting radio disc jockey Jennifer Scott Stevens told council discrimination was real, and she was a local example. Steven was fired in August, after hosting Springfield’s gay-pride parade PrideFest and coming out publicly as a lesbian.

“The community did not have a high-profile name in which to represent them in the media. I took that mantle,” Stevens said. “No sooner did I do that, I was terminated from my job.”

Council is expected to vote on the issue when all nine members are again together on Oct. 13.

CU budget
City Utilities officials introduced a fiscal 2015 budget of $537.9 million, which is down from a readjusted fiscal 2014 figure of $559.4 million. The new budget includes the second in a series of water rate increases approved by council in 2012, but no natural gas rate hike.

However, what drew the ire of three public speakers at the meeting was a proposed solar energy rate rider designed to cover the costs associated with leasing and operating CU’s new solar farm.

Louise Wienckowski, a Sierra Club member who has opposed CU’s $4.8 million detailed site investigation of land on the John Twitty Energy Center that would be used for a coal-ash landfill, said CU shouldn’t punish solar customers with additional costs.

“Why not use that $4.8 million to reduce the solar rate to a more affordable one for homeowners?” she said.

Last month, CU dedicated its 40-acre solar farm east of Springfield. The 5-megawatt farm can produce enough energy for roughly 900 homes each year. Constructed, operated and maintained by Chapel Hill, N.C.-based Strata Solar, CU entered a 25-year contract last September to purchase power from the nearly 22,000-panel farm.

Ray Ross, CU’s director of pricing and forecasting, said the solar fee is necessary to pay for development of the farm.

“The cost side will not vary. The purchased energy price is fixed,” Ross said, adding CU plans to lock in rates for 20 years as it signs up homeowners during the next year.

According to the plan, residential and commercial solar customers would pay an additional $7.67 per kilowatt hour and could choose to purchase 1 kwh at a time. Ross said the average home uses nearly 6 kwh per month and pays $90.48.

Councilman Craig Hosmer thanked the officials for bringing the alternative energy to Springfield, while Councilman Doug Burlison expressed appreciation to CU administrators for not increasing natural gas rates.

“As a person who represents a lot of your customers, I want to say a huge thank you to and your staff for not bringing an increase to this budget,” Burlison said.