R12-035 1 RESOLUTION NO. R12 -035
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4 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF BOYNTON BEA • ,
5 FLORIDA, OPPOSING THE MAJORITY OPINION OF HE
6 UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT IN CITIZENS ITED
7 ' V. FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION.
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10 WHEREAS, a concerned citizen has requested that th- ity Commission consider the
11 impact of the United States Supreme Court Citizens United • . se and indicate its opposition to
12 that opinion; and
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14 WHEREAS, on January 1, 2010, the United ates Supreme Court issued an opinion
15 in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Co mission; and
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17 WHEREAS, the court overruled prece ' ent and held that corporations have the same
1811 rights to freedom of speech as natural perso under the First Amendment to the Constitution
19 of the United States, thereby establishing c. *orate personhood; and
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21 ' WHEREAS, the Citizens U • ed decision allows corporations to make unlimited,
22 , anonymous expenditures to support %r oppose any candidate for Federal, state or local elected
23' office; and
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25', WHEREAS, this pr. tice is destructive to American democracy and was never
26 contemplated by the framer of the constitution of the United States; and
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28! WHEREAS, e Citizens United decision threatens state sovereignty and the
29i i compelling interest o' states and local governments to enact campaign finance reform laws; and
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31' WHE ' • S, the dissenting opinion in Citizens United correctly stated that corporations
32, "are not them • ves members of `We the People' by whom and for whom our Constitution was
33 established" and
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35 W HEREAS, a constitutional amendment is the most effective way to overturn the
36 Citize' United decision and its progeny.
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381 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF
391 HE CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA THAT:
40: Section 1. The foregoing "Whereas" clauses are hereby ratified and confirmed as
4 ! ! being true and correct and are hereby made a specific part of this Resolution upon adoption
421; hereof.
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1 Section 2. The City of Boynton Beach stands with the Move to Am- d campaign
2 and communities across the country to defend democracy from the corrupting - fects of undue
3 corporate power by amending the United States Constitution to establish tha •
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5 1. Only human beings. not corporations, are endowed with con ! tutional rights, and
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7 2. Money is not speech. and therefore regulating politica ontributions and spending is
8 a not equivalent to limiting political speech.
10 Section 3. The City Commission of the City • ' Boynton Beach hereby instructs our
11 county, state and federal representatives to enact res utions and legislation to advance this
12 I effort.
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14 Section 4. This Resolution shall be .me effective immediately upon passage
15 PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City of Boynton Beach, this 17` Day of April,
16, 2012.
1 ITY OF BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA
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20 Mayor — Woodrow L. Hay
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21 ! Vice Mayor — William Orlove
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26 I Commissioner — Mack McCray
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221 Commissioner — Steven Holzman
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32 ! Commissioner — Marlene Ross
33 A ' EST:
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3.
Janet M. Prainito, MMC
38 City Clerk
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41! (Corporate Seal)
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