Republican-controlled states are silencing the voices of cities and their voters

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/03/opinion/texas-preemption-bill.html
https://archive.ph/4nwEj

States Are Stifling the Voices of Cities and Their Voters
June 3, 2023, 7:00 a.m. ET

Gov. Greg Abbott, Republican of Texas, is expected to sign a bill in the next few days that would make it immeasurably more difficult for cities in the state to govern themselves. The bill would strip cities of the ability to set standards for local workplaces, to ensure civil rights, and to improve their environments, trampling on the rights of voters who elected local officials to do just that.

The bill, recently approved by the Texas House and Senate, would nullify any city ordinance or regulation that conflicts with existing state policy in those crucial areas, and would give private citizens or businesses the right to sue and seek damages if they believe there is a discrepancy between city and state. That means no city could prohibit discrimination against L.G.B.T.Q. employees, as several Texas cities have done. No city could adopt new rules to limit predatory payday-lending practices. No city could restrict overgrown lots, or unsafe festivals, or inadequate waste storage. Cities would even be banned from enacting local worker protections, including requiring water breaks for laborers in the Texas heat, as Dallas, Austin and other cities have done following multiple deaths and injuries.

Business lobbyists and Republican legislators who have pushed the bill said its purpose was to rid the state of a patchwork of conflicting regulations. In fact, that patchwork largely exists only in three or four mostly Democratic cities in an overwhelmingly red state, and the bill is the latest effort by Republicans to rid the state of any policies that conflict with their hard-right agenda — even if those policies are fully supported by voters in those cities, who elect representatives to serve their interests. ...

Many of the recent bills are particularly brazen in their disdain for local decision-making. The Florida Legislature passed a bill in early May allowing businesses to challenge municipal ordinances in court simply for being “unreasonable.” If they win, the businesses can collect $50,000 in attorney fees from the taxpayers if the ordinance is not withdrawn, but cities can’t collect attorney fees if they win. In Tennessee, Republicans were angry that leaders in Nashville blocked a bid to host the 2024 G.O.P. convention, so they passed a bill to shrink the size of the Nashville Metro Council and upend its voting district maps, which many residents say will dilute the political strength of minority groups. A local court put that law on hold for now, but the final outcome has not been determined.

...

[walkingman]

1. This definately happening in Texas. For decades it was always an attack on Austin. From my memory

it started in the 60's with all of those hippies, nude sunbathing at Hippie Hollow, and at the local hangout "The Armadillo" with all of the pot smokers. It was somewhat similar in the Houston Montrose area - downtown, affordable housing, gay bars, and open minded people. Not really familiar with the rest of Texas but I'm sure San Antonio and Dallas had similar things happening.

But now it is more of the GOP right-wing politicos viewing the Blue urban areas (all of them) especially Houston which is the largest Democratic stronghold in Texas (number wise). They are going after them full tilt. School districts, locally elected officials, local refurrendums, any and everything they can.

Like most of America the cities and many of the suburbs are BLUE and the rural area are bright RED and it becomes a war with the RED States fighting as hard as they can to stay in power. Redistricting, voter suppression, gerrymandering, you name they try it.

I think it a losing battle, at least I hope so because I think "Home Rule" is always the best policy. No one know what is better for a city or town than locals - I personally wish the Texas State government would STFU.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. That's how fascism works. There can be no opposing view.

[Skittles]

4. CORRECT

they cannot win their votes so they silence them

[PortTack]

3. There has been a suit launched. The spokesperson gave a good explanation of their state

Constitution and why it is unconstitutional. Hopefully they won’t get away with this!