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The Spokane City Council voted to stop doing business with the nuclear weapons industry. On Monday November 7, the city of Spokane, Washington (US) adopted a comprehensive ordinance changing the city’s municipal code. Ordinance C-36299 directs the city of Spokane to divest from the companies that produce nuclear weapons, and break all contracts within reason with these companies where they provide other services.
Advocates behind the effort included the Washington Against Nuclear Weapons (WANW) coalition. Over the past several years, dedicated organizing of Spokane Veterans for Peace, a WANW coalition member, with the support of groups like the Spokane Peace and Justice Center, Spokane Pride for Peace, and the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, brought this issue to the City Council and sought cooperative solutions for what the city could do. The ordinance has gone through extensive legal vetting, and is expected to not to be challenged by the state of Washington.
Sean Arent of Washington Physicians For Social Responsibility said “Simply put, this ordinance has teeth. WANW now has a template we can use in other municipalities to get our local tax money out of the nuclear weapons business, and you can bet that we're going to use it.”
Ordinance C-36299 acknowledges the terrible costs of nuclear weapons, and serves as a public statement from the city of Spokane to government officials that the resources used on these weapons should be reallocated to meet human needs. The ordinance also encourages "Residents and representatives are urged to redirect resources previously used for the production of nuclear weapons towards endeavors which promote and enhance life, including economic development, childcare, housing, schools, health care, emergency services, public transportation, energy conservation, small business support and jobs."