A couple weeks ago, after Mayor Gallego did her interviews and headed home from the City Council meeting on September 6, she posted a photo on X of her pouring milk from a $7 half-gallon carton into an empty bowl next to a knife. (Because what normal person doesn’t enjoy eating cereal with a knife?)
While Gallego says she is not banning meat, there is no meat in the photo.
There’s been a lot of false info about my work to make PHX more sustainable.
What I’m not doing: ❌ banning meat or milk
What I am doing: ✅ increasing housing options ✅ improving walkability and transit ✅ reducing emissions and energy bills ✅ enjoying cereal pic.twitter.com/ZzViZ3bT0O
What made her post this image with these self-righteous campaign slogans under her Official X account?
The power of Public Comment.
Earlier that day, about a dozen Grassroots citizens attended the Phoenix City Council meeting and told the mayor they do not support policies banning meat.
A constant factor was brought up by multiple public speakers: Gallego is the Vice-Chair of the C40 Cities. According to the C40 Cities website, “C40 is a global network of mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to confront the climate crisis.” C40 has many documents outlining the organization’s desire to reduce and abolish the consumption of meat.
And the citizens don’t want it!
The troubling fact is, on March 4, 2020, Gallego and the Council passed the 2025 Phoenix Food Action Plan. In Strategy 2, under Goal 1, the fifth “Progress on Action” creates a new policy for the Office of Environmental Programs (OEP) at the City of Phoenix to enter a contract with Arizona State University to “establish an AgriFood Tech Incubator in 2023 to accelerate ventures in sustainable food systems…”
But this is nothing new. The City of Phoenix has multiple policies for sustainable food systems in the 2020 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory report conducted by ASU. And Gallego also has many policies tied to ASU. In fact, she is funding and has teamed up with the college for multiple environmental and sustainable projects. What type of environmentally sustainable policies does ASU believe in?
Let’s check out their degrees in “Sustainable Food Systems.” The Bachelor of Science degree states, “Students become effective agents of change” and “Students are engaged in an active community collectively working to achieve the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.” The degree for Online Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems lists Kathleen Merrigan as the leader of the degree program.
According to ASU’s biography page for Merrigan, she is the Kelly and Brian Swette Professor in the School of Sustainability and executive director of the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems. She was listed as one of Time magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2010. And she is a partner in Astanor Ventures along with being an advisor to S2G Ventures—two firms investing in ag-tech innovation. Merrigan also holds a PhD in Public Policy and Environmental Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In an article titled, “In Light of Climate Change Debates, ASU Continues Sustainability Efforts,” Merrigan is quoted as saying, “Get rid of the plastic water bottles, eat less meat…” to make ASU more sustainable. Furthermore, ASU has a research program that is teamed up with Merrigan and the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems. The program states it is ASU’s desire to find out how to implement “dietary shifts towards plant-based diets” through “interventions.” Peoples’ eating habits in reaction to COVID-19 lockdowns, a major intervention on society, are listed in this document.
Now, consider one major food intervention taken by Mayor Gallego. Just two weeks after passing the 2025 Phoenix Food Action Plan, she decided to lock Phoenix down due to COVID. After the lockdown began, the Medical Director for Disease Control with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Dr. Sunenshine, gave public testimony at the March 23, 2020 Phoenix City Council meeting. Dr Sunenshine stated that the Mayor shut the city down without reaching out to her office first. Dr. Sunenshine also said she would have recommended staying open.
Locking down the city implemented the most direct intervention on eating habits we have seen in our lifetime. Shutting down restaurants cut off 50% of our food supply because the government prevents restaurant food from being sold in grocery stores. The lockdown drastically constrained supply, damaged the supply chain for food, and helped lead to the astronomical food prices we see today.
While Gallego is able to say she is not literally banning meat, she is implementing policies that make meat more expensive and will lead to major reductions of meat consumption in the future. Dare I suggest by 2030?
Just to demonstrate that Gallego is implementing an ideology and that this is not isolated to only Phoenix, consider this. On April 24, 2023, Gallego posted a video with Mayor Quinton Lucas from Kansas City celebrating his “first fully-autonomous ride with Waymo.” Does Kansas City have a plan to reduce meat consumption?
Of course, they do! Under Lucas, Kansas City passed its Climate Action Plan in September 2022. Kansas City’s Climate Action Plan Food section in each division of Kansas City lists promoting plant-based diets!
Another city recently popped up in the news cycle. Chicago is possibly going to open city-owned grocery stores, so I looked up their action plans. In 2021, Chicago began reducing red meat from its schools, juvenile detention center, and Chicago Park District menus. The same document identifying Chicago reducing meat claims Chicago wants “to foster more racially and socially equitable supply chains across the region.” They are saying the quiet part out loud! They want to disrupt the supply chain to reduce meat consumption. Now, if Chicago does end up opening city-owned grocery stores, do you think they will sell meat? Absolutely not!
But let’s get back to Mayor Gallego’s post from a little over a week ago. Her claim of reducing energy costs is another bold-faced lie. Gallego teamed up with the “Climate Mayors” from across the country to release an op-ed on September 10, 2023 claiming the implementation of green energy plans have reduced the cost of energy!
But mayors cannot claim they are reducing energy costs! The cost of energy is set by Corporation Commissions with utilities providers. Mayors have nothing to do with the cost of energy.
But let’s pretend they do. The Federal Reserve states that the cost of energy for the Greater Phoenix Area is skyrocketing! It’s higher than any point over the past five years!
The policies Mayor Gallego is implementing are detrimental to our well-being and set to a radical left agenda. They should not be accepted, and they should not be tolerated.
That’s why it’s critical for the people of Phoenix to stand up, speak up, give public comments, and more. It’s the best way to stop these radical policies that price people out of being able to afford meat, interrupt the supply chain of meat, and make energy costs skyrocket.
Jeff Caldwell currently helps with operations at EZAZ.org. He is also a Precinct Captain, State Committeeman, and Precinct Committeeman in Legislative District 2. Jeff is a huge baseball fan who enjoys camping and exploring new, tasty restaurants! You can follow him on X here.
This week, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari are attending the United Nation’s (UN) COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. The conference began Sunday and will last until next Friday. The attendees are meeting with the objective of realizing the Paris Agreement through finalization of the Paris Rulebook and acting on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Gallego’s spokespersons informed AZ Free News that the city didn’t pay for Gallego’s trip – the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group paid, a global network of nearly 100 mayors that collaborate on climate solutions. In May, Gallego was elected the vice chair for C40’s steering committee.
Ansari’s spokespersons didn’t respond by press time.
Gallego told Business Journal that she would be networking with companies who may potentially invest in the city. In a statement posted to Twitter, Gallego explained that this conference would bring fresh ideas on climate change initiatives to Phoenix, as well as serve as an opportunity to share some of Phoenix’s initiatives, like their cool pavement installations. “Excited to be attending the UN #COP26 Climate Summit. Phoenix is an innovative leader on climate solutions,” wrote Gallego. “We’ll share our success, and learn about successes from cities around the globe. #TogetherForOurPlanet”
Excited to be attending the UN #COP26 Climate Summit. Phoenix is an innovative leader on climate solutions. We’ll share our success, and learn about successes from cities around the globe.#TogetherForOurPlanetpic.twitter.com/q5GkipooHL
Ansari’s message concerning her attendance reflected more urgency, claiming that lives were at stake. “After spending years working to get elected officials to commit to bold climate solutions, I’m heading to Glasgow for #COP26 proud to represent District 7 in Phoenix,” wrote Ansari. “We just passed our #climateaction plan. Lives are at stake— it’s time to implement.”
After spending years working to get elected officials to commit to bold climate solutions, I’m heading to Glasgow for #COP26 proud to represent District 7 in Phoenix.
Prior to her election to city council, Ansari served as a climate advisor for the UN. She attributed her work as crucial to delivering the Paris Agreement in 2015.
6 yrs ago, I helped deliver the #ParisAgreement. Today, I arrived at the @UN#COP26 summit as an elected official from Phoenix, AZ— once dubbed “the world’s least sustainable city.”
Excited to showcase the work we’re leading now & to bring back lessons from cities everywhere. pic.twitter.com/1goMHS4DJx
The pair will discuss Phoenix’s climate initiatives, including their $2.8 million Heat Response and Mitigation Office. The purpose of the office is to reduce the effects of urban heat, a phenomenon in which urbanization causes higher temperatures. Phoenix is the only city that has an office dedicated to these efforts.
Phoenix’s latest climate action plan was approved last month. The city pledged to certain goals, such as becoming 100 percent carbon-neutral by 2050, eliminating all food deserts, and establishing 100 years of clean and reliable water supplies.
The COP26 conference claims that climate change is the greatest threat facing the world. Two of the goals listed were reaching net zero for emissions and limiting global warming by 1.5 degrees. The UN claimed in their promotional video for COP26 that “Earth is sending a message that we must not ignore.” They showed pictures of various natural disasters, mixed with happy scenes from nature.
“What is COP? The potential threat to the surrounding natural environment, what the UN is calling the world’s first climate change famine,” said the conference promotional video. “Even on our warming planet there are reasons for hope. We need to have the courage to try. There are going to be a lot more jobs created in the economy. Climate change is not the problem, climate change is the expression of the problem.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego will now lead Climate Mayors, a coalition of 350 American mayors across 46 states working to advance progressive climate policies.
In a press release from the organization, Gallego committed to supplementing federal funding for climate initiatives using the private sector and philanthropy, expand influence of the Western Water Security Cohort into local governance, “extreme heat” mitigation, and further align member cities’ actions with Climate Mayors initiatives.
“I’ll focus on addressing extreme heat, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring all cities have the tools they need to advance climate action,” said Gallego.
I'm honored to lead as Chair of @ClimateMayors, a coalition of cities tackling the challenges of climate change.
Other members of Climate Mayors leadership include Boise, Idaho, mayor Lauren McLean; Atlanta, Georgia, mayor Andre Dickens; and Cleveland, Ohio, mayor Justin Bibb.
Last month, Climate Mayors committed to supporting the Biden administration’s new National Determined Contribution (NDC) target of 61 to 66 percent economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions reductions by 2035.
Climate Mayors executive director Kate Wright indicated the goals were feasible through commitments to energy and water efficiency programs and the expansion of “green” and “clean” infrastructure.
“Today’s announcement of a new U.S. NDC serves as an important goalpost for our unwavering ambition as subnational actors continue to lead the fight against climate change and advance America’s economic competitiveness,” said Wright. “Our membership of over 350 U.S. Mayors is ready to do its part to achieve our national target and build on the progress we’ve made over the last decade.”
The organization’s climate change initiatives include electric vehicle expansion, data collection on each city’s emission levels, a tracker for federal funding and grant opportunities, and provision of grants for partnerships between local governments and nonprofits.
Climate Mayors launched an electric vehicle purchasing collaborative in 2018 to expand city governance control and influence into county governments, transit agencies, port authorities, and colleges and universities. The coalition also committed to electrifying at least 50 percent of municipal fleets by 2030, and increasing electric vehicle chargers by at least 500 percent by 2035 (with 40 percent at least benefitting “disadvantaged” communities).
Last week, Climate Mayors announced a framework to develop equity-oriented electric vehicle plans. The coalition developed the framework alongside UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and Environment, The Greenlining Institute, and Forth Mobility. According to the framework, electric vehicle infrastructure should prioritize lower-income, non-white communities.
The coalition partnered with C40 Cities and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network to organize allocation of federal funding at the local level. Climate Mayors’ webpage for this planning links to the C40 Cities Knowledge Hub, which indicates that C40 Cities leads on the agenda for this initiative.
Gallego also sits on the steering committee of C40 Cities, serving as the North American representative on the international scale. As reported previously, a priority of C40 Cities is to eliminate meat and dairy consumption, new clothing purchases, and private car ownership.
Climate Mayors was founded in 2014 by three top Democrats: Biden’s ambassador to India and former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, president/CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and former Houston mayor Annise Parker, and former Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter.
Several other Arizona mayors retain memberships within Climate Mayors: Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, Tempe Mayor Corey Woods, Sedona Mayor Scott Jablow, Nogales Mayor Jorge Maldonado, and Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett.
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It appears there won’t be a debate for the Phoenix mayoral race.
Matt Evans, the Republican challenger to incumbent Democratic Mayor Kate Gallego, announced on Tuesday that neither Gallego or her campaign had ever responded about scheduling a debate.
The revelation whipped the Maricopa GOP base into a frenzy. The Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC) pointed out that Gallego had frequently engaged in debates for her successful 2018 run.
“[Gallego] participated in Debates to get where she is now. This time around, now that someone else is on the ballot, is she—representing 1 person—going to discriminate against the approx 770k registered to vote & 1.7M constituents of #PHX?” asked MCRC.
1/2 DEBATES FOR ME, BUT NOT THEE?@KateWGallego participated in Debates to get where she is now. This time around, now that someone else is on the ballot, is she—representing 1 person—going to discriminate against the approx 770k registered to vote & 1.7M constituents of #PHX? https://t.co/5o2MCJJaVypic.twitter.com/R1ETvcwNvE
— Maricopa County Republican Committee | MCRC (@MaricopaGOP) September 5, 2024
The party compared Gallego’s distancing from debates to a similar avoidance by Kamala Harris and, before her, Joe Biden. The comparison also expanded to both Harris’s and Gallego’s websites lacking any platforms or specific policy positions.
Gallego’s Republican challenger, Evans, includes several policy positions on his website, namely concerning homelessness. Evans, a Phoenix native and Arizona State University graduate, is an IT professional and married father of three.
Evans made an unsuccessful bid for the District 2 seat on the Phoenix City Council in 2022; he came in third out of the three candidates, gaining 17 percent of the vote compared to opponent Heli Nielson (30 percent) and the victor Jim Waring (53 percent).
According to the city of Phoenix’s latest reporting period, Gallego’s reelection campaign has raised over $1.3 million. Her highest donors this campaign in this year all gave $6,650 individually: EMILY’s List; International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers PAC; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC; Kathryn Lincoln; Jessica Raymond; Mark Breen; Walter Cichon; Sundae Breen; William Levine; James Pederson; Roberta Pederson; James Gordon; Norma Kafer; Georgia Michaelson; Mike Michelson; Jerry Simms; Jonn Graham; Jamie Hormel; and Susan Guzman.
Others also gave the same high amount — $6,650 — last year for her campaign: Simer Mayo; Ernie Adair; Gary Holloway; Jerry Reindsdorf; Mark Becker; Bob Ramsey; Jacob Zonn; Jaime Scanlin; Jenny Norton; Heidi Jannenga; Andrew Cohn; Jonathan Keyser; Mel Martin; Roberta Koleas; Patricia Christofolo; Jason Morris; Cheryl Najafi; Kurt Mangum; Michael Pollack; and Rosellen Papp.
City campaign finance records reflect that Evans has raised over $3,400. It is also noted that he has a negative balance of nearly $1,000 due to excess disbursements.
Evans’s top donor, Cassius Carter, has given $1,000.
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Attorney General Kris Mayes’ five new selections to the Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board (ACRAB) are all progressive Democrats, challenging her characterization of the board as “politically balanced.”
These latest ACRAB additions are Heather Ross, Enrique Davis-Mazlum, Justin Weinstein-Tull, Holli Ploog, and Lydia Peirce Linsmeier.
Ross and Weinstein-Tull are Arizona State University professors. Ross specializes in health equity and policy, while Weinstein-Tull specializes in constitutional law, state and local courts and governments, and election law. However, both were highly supportive of centralized COVID-19 government responses and oversight.
As a special advisor to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego from 2019 to 2022, Ross was principally behind the mask mandates and ordinances. Ross also advocated for an expansive COVID-19 contact tracing team to ensure quarantining. In a 2022 paper, Weinstein-Tull advocated for increasing the power of the federal government, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as justification.
Ross is also, notably, an elected precinct committee person and state party delegate for the Arizona Democratic Party, and was a Democratic congressional candidate in 2018.
During her 2018 run, Ross advocated for progressive policies such as stricter gun control, expanding Medicare and Medicaid, and expanding clean energy.
Ross also chairs both the Arizona Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Phoenix Women’s Commission.
Weinstein-Tull signed onto a letter opposing now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the highest court, along with 13 other ASU professors.
Weinstein-Tull formerly served as a DOJ Civil Rights Division trial attorney and clerked with Ninth Circuit Justice Sidney Thomas.
Davis-Mazlum holds a doctorate in Gender Equality in Politics, noted for his defense of secularism while promoting gender equality and human rights. Davis-Mazlum has led several prominent progressive organizations: he was Arizona State Director for UnidosUS and UnidosUS Action Fund, campaign director for LUCHA Blue Campaign, and organizer for Voter Choice Arizona.
Through these groups, Davis-Mazlum has advanced progressive agendas, such as legalizing illegal immigration and abortion, and backed Democratic candidates for office: President Joe Biden, along with congressional candidates Ruben Gallego, Raquel Teran, and Kirsten Engel.
Holli Ploog is the vice mayor of Sedona, endorsed by pro-abortion Democratic organization Arizona List. Ploog is on the Democrats of the Red Rocks Board of Directors, and a supporter of progressive policies to address climate change.
On her reelection website, Ploog is seen posing with Governor Katie Hobbs. Ploog also pledged her support for Senator Mark Kelly back in 2020 during his reelection bid.
Ploog was the sole dissenting vote on a council plan allowing the homeless with full-time jobs to sleep in their cars in a parking lot at Sedona Cultural Park. Ploog voted against the plan due to the uproar from constituents.
Peirce Linsmeier works as an attorney specializing in fair housing, and serves as a board member for Disability Rights Arizona. Concerning disabilities, Peirce Linsmeier recently defended President Joe Biden’s reelection bid: she compared 32nd president Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s physical disability (paralyzation from polio necessitating a wheelchair) to Biden’s apparent mental disability (a cognitive impairment resembling dementia).
“FDR used a wheelchair, and he did a pretty good job as president. Mobility aids have nothing to do with competence. #ableism,” wrote Peirce Linsmeier on LinkedIn.
In a press release, Mayes explained that these five additions provided much-needed expertise to ACRAB.
“Their contributions will be invaluable as we work together to advance justice for all Arizonans,” said Mayes.
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