Res No 078-15-14417RESOLUTION NO.078-15-14417
Resolution of the Mayor and Commission of the City of South Miami opposing
the fast-track of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)Agreement.
WHEREAS,theTrans-PacificPartnership("TPP")isa"tradeagreement"thathasbeen
negotiatedinsecretandthatCongressisnowconsidering "fast-tracking";and
WHEREAS,itappearsthatevenmembers of Congressdonothaveaccesstothefull
agreement;and
WHEREAS,this extreme level of secrecy is unacceptable ina democracy;and
WHEREAS,"[o]nly 5of [the TPP's]29 chapters cover traditional trade matters1"and thus
the remaining 2dozen chapters maybe creating sweeping new "rights"and escape hatchestoprotect
multinational corporations from accountability;and
WHEREAS,much of theTPP grants new multi-national corporate rights including:
"safeguards to ease job offshoring and loss of our sovereign rights to control our natural resources,
and limit our sovereign right to regulation of financial services,land use,food safety,natural
resources,energy,tobacco,healthcare2";and
WHEREAS,it would appear that theTPPwillleadtoan increase the production of fossil
fuels that contribute to global warming that inturn contributes to increased sea level,extreme
weather events,and more that impact South Miami's people,property and environment without the
normal checks and balances afforded by court challenge;and
WHEREAS,news of theTPPthusfarindicatesthatitwill encompass 40%of the world's
population and 60%of global GDPand that theTPPisless about trade than about a massive
expansion of transnationalcorporatecontrol,establishingruleswhichareenforcedbycorporate
challengestodomesticlawsbeforeunaccountabletribunals,thusstripping decision-making from
citizens and usurping democracy locally and globally;and
WHEREAS,itappearsthattheTPPwouldroblocalgovernments of economicprotections
by(1)invalidating"SweatshopFree"ordinancesand"BuyLocal"policiesthathelplocaleconomies
andworkers,(2)empoweringforeigncorporationstosuegovernmentsoveranyregulationin
violationoftheTPPwhichcouldimpedeprofit,(3)deprivinggovernments of theabilitytorepresent
constituents'interestsinlawsuitsbroughtbycorporations,and(4)requiring thatsecret,foreign
tribunalsdecidesuchcases,potentiallyawardingexorbitanttaxpayercompensationto corporations;
and
WHEREAS,if theTPPgrantsimmunitytothemembers of theTPPconcerningUS,state
andlocalfoodsafetyrules,itcouldendangerlives;and
WHEREAS,localgovernmentsandorganizationsthroughouttheU.S.areopposingthefast-
tracking of thesetrade policies;and
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/03/opmion/obamas-covert-trade-deal.html?_r=0
2http://www.thenation.eom/article/l 68627/nafta-steroids
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Res.No.078-15-14417
WHEREAS,anti-TPPoranti-fast-trackresolutionshavebeenpassedinNewYorkCity;
Pittsburgh,PA;SanFrancisco,CA;LosAngeles,CA;Seattle,WA;St.Paul,MN;Madison,WI;
Berkeley,CA;TompkinsCounty,NY;FortBragg,CA;MahoningCounty,OH;Bellingham,WA,
Richmond,CA;Hollywood,CA;OakPark Township,IL;DaneCounty,WI;Guadalupe,AZ;and
Columbus,OH3";and
WHEREAS,the South Miami City Commission believes that the public hastherightto
knowasmuch information as possible abouttheaffairs of government,especially atradeagreement
withfar reaching ramifications likethe Trans-Pacific Partnership.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA,THAT:
Section 1.TheCity of South Miami ("City")Commission does hereby call upon its
congressional delegation to oppose the "fast-track"of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other similar
trade policies;and
Section 2.TheCity Clerk is directed to forward a copy of this resolution tothe National
League of Cities,theUS Conference of Mayors,US Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,US
Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio,President Barack Obama andUSTrade Representative
Michael Froman,withthis request toceaseTPP,tomakeallrelatedtextand processes public
immediately andtorefrainfrom "Fast Tracking"anytrade agreement,inthe interests of democracy,
the people andthe planet.
Section 3.Severability.If anysectionclause,sentence,orphrase of thisresolutionisfor
anyreasonheldinvalidorunconstitutionalbyacourt of competent jurisdiction,theholdingshallnot
affectthevalidity of the remaining portions of thisresolution.
Section4.Effective Date.Thisresolutionshallbecomeeffectiveimmediatelyupon
adoption byvote of theCity Commission.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 5th_day of May
ATTEST:
O FORM,
_,2015.
APPROVED:
COMMISSION VOTE:4-0
Mayor Stoddard:Yea
Vice Mayor Harris:yea
Commissioner Edmond:Yea
Commissioner Liebman:Yea
Commissioner Welsh:Absent
3http://www.sierraclub.org/compass/2015/04/nyc-goes-tpp-free
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