Candidate  name:     James  White                 Council  district:  10 Please  complete  questionnaire  below.   You  must  send  a  completed  electronic  copy  to  Political@StonewallDemocratsOfDallas.org  or  mail  a  completed  copy  to  P.O.  Box  192305  Dallas,  TX  75219  by  Monday,  March  2nd. 1 Your  background  and  the  LGBT  community      Please  share  any  experience  that  illustrates  your  understanding  and  interest  of  the  needs  of  LGBT  Dallas  residents.    

I  can  say  that  I’ve  always  been  an  advocate  and  that  there  hasn’t  been  a  trigger  event  for  me.  It  has  always  seemed  the  right  thing  to  do,  the  obvious  thing.  BUT  I  do  have  a  very  personal  story  from  my  youth  –  although  I  hesitate  to  use  it  for  political  persuasion.    He  was  my  friend  whom  I  met  my  freshman  year  at  Texas  Tech  (I  transferred  the  next  year  to  Austin).  He  had  not  yet  come  out  to  his  family,  but  over  time  he  did  and  it  was  problematic.  I  can’t  say  he  included  me  in  the  process  but  I  can  say  that  we  talked  about  it,  usually  when  he  invited  me  along  on  1975+  Cedar  Springs.    He  had  also  transferred  to  UT  and  we  kept  our  friendship  up,  so  much  so  that  we  backpacked  through  Europe  together  –  along  with  a  third  friend.  After  graduate  school,  I  gave  my  friend  a  present  from  Wisconsin,  where  I  had  learned  to  play  hockey.  I  gave  him  my  hockey  stick.  This  was  1980  I  believe.    He  settled  in  Austin,  found  a  partner,  but  in  1988  he  passed,  succumbing  to  AIDS.  At  the  service,  his  partner  cornered  me  to  say  I  (and  my  wife  and  infant  daughter),  must  come  by  the  house  because  Wyatt  had  left  me  something.  What  was  it?  I  had  no  clue,  but  as  you  might  have  guessed  by  now.      That  stick  is  now  screwed  to  the  wall  over  my  home  office  door.  

   Stonewall  Democrats  of  Dallas  seek  to  inform  members  of  the  LGBT  and  Democratic  Party  community  of  candidate's  political  background.  Our  organization’s  by-­‐laws  require  us  only  to  consider  candidates  with  Democratic  Primary  voter  history  or  affirms  their  party  affiliation  via  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Democratic  Party.  Do  you  qualify  or  would  you  be  prepared  to  sign  an  oath  of  allegiance  form  from  the  Dallas  County  Democratic  Party?    

Done  and  done.  I  am  a  Democratic  Party  Official:  Precinct  Chair  and  serve  as  Committeeman  for  SD-­‐8  on  the  State  Democratic  Executive  Committee.  

   2 Creating  an  inclusive  community      Cities  compete  for  residents,  taxpayers,  conventions  and  new  businesses/economic  development.  As  a  member  of  the  Dallas  City  Council,  how  would  you  insure  that  Dallas  can  compete  effectively  with  other  cities  in  the  area  of  LGBT  inclusion?    

By  voting,  advocating,  and  practicing  the  politics  of  inclusion.  I  mean,  seriously,  do  candidates  answer  differently  on  this  question?  That  kind  of  environment  will  make  Dallas  an  inherently  attractive  place  to  do  business,  to  live,  and  to  thrive.    

 I  want  to  work  with  the  Dallas  Visitors  Bureau  with  their  ideas  to  help  attract  LGBT  conventions  and  visitors.  They  have  a  decent  media  campaign,  but  it  can  be  improved.  I  would  also  meet  with  local  leaders  to  find  out  what  regional  and/or  national  LGBT  conventions  could  be  recruited  to  come  to  Dallas  for  example  The  National  LGBT  Task  Force’s  convention  Creating  Change  and  work  with  local  annual  conventions  to  see  how  they  can  be  promoted  to  attract  visitors  like  the  Black  Transgender  Advocacy  Conference.  http://www.visitdallas.com/things-­‐to-­‐do/diverse-­‐dallas/lgbt/    Also  find  ways  to  help  promote  established  events  that  can  attract  tourist  like  Dallas  Pride,  Razzle  Dazzle,  Black  Tie  Dinner  and  Turtle  Creek  Choral  concerts.      Work  with  the  City  of  Dallas  LGBT  Task  Force  members  and  leadership  to  continue  the  vast  LGBT  improvements  made  in  the  past  few  years.      Meet  with  the  GLBT  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  find  out  ideas  and  work  for  solutions  that  will  improve  new  businesses  and  economic  development.    

   Would  you  recruit  and  consider  qualified  LGBT  constituents  for  your  commission  and  board  appointments?    

Yes.  It  is  important  that  all  communities  are  represented  on  our  commissions  and  boards.      Will  you  support  the  Dallas  City  Council's  resolution  for  marriage  equality  and  also  a  statewide  ban  on  LGBT  employment  discrimination?    

Yes.  Hopefully  by  the  time  I  am  elected  the  Supreme  Court  will  decide  this  issue  shortly  after  my  swearing  in  June.          Mayor  Rawlings  has  refused  to  join  the  nationwide  effort  of  mayors  of  300  cities  and  32  states  to  become  a  member  of  Mayors  for  the  Freedom  to  Marry.  This  effort  is  chaired  by  Mayors  of  Boston,  New  York  City,  Houston  and  Los  Angeles.  Would  you  actively  lobby  and  take  action  to  encourage  Mayor  Rawlings  to  join  this  effort?    (Please  see  http://www.freedomtomarry.org/pages/mayors-­‐for-­‐the-­‐freedom-­‐to-­‐marry)    

YES!  and  hopefully  this  will  be  moot  by  the  end  of  June.  Once  SCOTUS  makes  marriage  equality  the  law  of  the  land.  !

   3 The  City  of  Dallas  as  a  LGBT  inclusive  employer      The  private  sector  has  seen  a  large  increase  in  policies  and  benefits  for  LGBT  employees,  how  should  the  City  of  Dallas  remain  competitive  to  attract  and  retain  top  LGBT  talent?    Continue  with  the  changes  being  made  at  City  Hall  throught  the  LGBT  Task  Force  like  the  update  in  pensions  for  same  sex  married  couples.  A  perfect  example  on  an  improvement  that  can  be  made  is  to  make  the  employee’s  insurance  100%  comprehensive  and  inclusive  without  any  discrimination  especially  for  those  of  the  transgender  experience.      Same  sex  couples  in  Domestic  Partnerships  should  be  given  the  same  benefits  as  couples  seen  as  married  by  state  of  Texas.  The  city  should  recognize  marriages  performed  in  other  states  for  benefit  purposes  as  well.  At  this  point,  the  updates  for  FMLA  by  the  Fed  now  includes  same  sex  couples  which  was  recently  enacted  by  President  Obama,  and  with  the  pension  update  the  City  of  Dallas  does  now  recognize  these  couples.  Again,  hopefully  by  the  end  of  June,  this  will  all  be  moot  and  all  marriages  will  be  recognized.        Do  you  support  comprehensive  transgender  inclusive  health  benefits  and  as  a  council  member  work  with  the  City  Manager  to  implement  such  benefits?  

Yes.        4 Current  Events       The  Governor  and  several  state  legislators  intend  to  push  legislation  through  to  curtail  the  current  scope  of  governance  of  “home  rule”  cities  like  Dallas.  This  could  remove  local  control  over  matters  such  as  drilling  within  city  limits,  LGBT  protections,  etc.  Do  you  favor  or  oppose  this,  and  what  do  you  plan  to  do  in  response?  

I  find  it  strange  that  oppressing  forces  hate  the  government  and  love  local  option,  except  when  they  don’t.  It  is  important  that  the  City  of  Dallas  be  allowed  to  pass  its  own  ordinances.  If  the  state  tries  to  override  what  the  City  does,  we  do  have  the  alternative  to  take  it  to  court.  I  don’t  believe  that  the  state  has  a  case  as  far  as  unsafe  gas  drilling,  LGBT  protections  and  the  plastic  bag  ban.    Another  strategy  is  to  win  at  the  ballot  box.  

       What  are  your  thoughts  on  the  current  campaign  finance  rules  for  Dallas  elections  which  set  donation  amount  limits  on  people  newly  seeking  office  but  essentially  place  no  donation  amount  limits  on  incumbents  via  unrestricted  officeholder  accounts  which  may  be  used  for  campaign  purposes?  

They  stink.  But  you  knew  that  before  I  had  to  answer.  And  recently  the  city  council  updated  this  policy  to  now  only  allow  $100  be  spent  from  an  officeholder  account  for  campaign  purposes.  

       The  proposed  Trinity  Parkway  toll  road  continues  to  make  headlines.  Do  you  see  the  Trinity  Parkway  as  an  essential  roadway  project  to  alleviate  projected  road  congestion  around  our  downtown  core,  or  are  there  other  solutions  that  Dallas  should  be  focused  on?  

I  am  completely  and  totally  against  the  toll  road,  a  parkway,  anything  that  degrades  our  greatest  natural  asset,  the  Trinity  River.      

 Given  that  tax  revenue  for  the  City  of  Dallas  should  rise  this  year  without  a  tax  rate  increase,  what  are  the  top  priorities  to  which  

these  additional  funds  should  be  directed  citywide  and  within  your  district?      

City  of  Dallas  (in  no  particular  order)  • Increased  funding  for  our  police  force  -­‐  I  live  in  a  part  of  District  10  that  has  a  corner  with  some  of  the  highest  crime  

issues  in  all  of  Dallas.  There  are  police  cameras  and  now  a  store  owner  has  taken  to  playing  classical  music  to  stop  loitering.  What  we  need  is  community  policing.  We  need  store  front  policing.  We  need  a  presence.  

• Expanding  library  hours  • Improving  our  parks  and  trails,  I  currently  serve  on  the  Dallas  County  Trails  and  Preserves  Board  and  strongly  believe  that  

recreational  space  is  critical  to  bringing  residents  to  the  city  and  improving  our  tax  base.  • Reasonable  development  in  South  Dallas,  not  horse  parks  run  by  people  who  have  shady  backgrounds,  no  white  water  

kayaking  and  certainly  not  a  posh  golf  course  totally  unaffordable  to  the  neighboring  residents.  • Improved  neighborhood  lighting  –  an  excellent  deterrent  to  crime.  • Maintaining  alleyways  and  roads.  • Making  Downtown  more  walkable  and  livable.  This  includes  building  the  second  Dart  line  underground  and  the  tear  

down  of  I-­‐345.    • The  Resource  Center  • Animal  services  

 Within  District  10  • Skillman  Road  signature  bridge  • Skillman  Road  straightening  (returning  9  acres  back  to  the  City)  • Cottonwood  trail  extension  from  Texas  Instruments  to  Richland  College  • Walkable  Adleta  development  at  Skillman/LBJ  DART  station  • Work  to  solve  LH  Towncenter  issues  

       

I,  JAMES  N.  WHITE,  am  seeking  an  endorsement  from  the  Stonewall  Democrats  of  Dallas  for  the  2015  Dallas  City  Council  elections.  

Signed: C Date:      2/27/15