Queen Creek’s governing council has unanimously approved an update to the town’s guidelines that now bars government employers from requiring or supporting practices related to affirmative action in its hiring.
The decision establishes that employment in the town’s government can only be based on merit. It prevents protected classes from being considered, such as race, ethnicity or religion.
Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley said in a statement that the council’s vote reinforced what they’ve already been doing as part of a larger update to their policies.
At the meeting, councilmember Travis Padilla supported the changes to the Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion, affirmative action — this is a road that we’ve seen America go down in both corporate America and in municipalities and governments,” said Padilla. “And I personally believe it's been a cancer. It's been destructive.”
The resolution passed 6-0, with the new policies to take effect on Oct. 4.
Wheatley added that the update won’t change anything about the way Queen Creek focuses on hiring and training qualified people.
Full statement from Mayor Julia Wheatley: “There will be no changes as a result of the update. The Town of Queen Creek has always practiced merit-based recruiting and training, and is committed to continuing to hire the most qualified candidates. The action at the Sept. 4 Council meeting reinforced these practices as part of a larger update to the Town’s policies and procedures.”
