Amarillo City Council talks tax rate, special election, ‘Sanctuary City for the Unborn’ ballot language in Tuesday meeting

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – The Amarillo City Council published the agenda for its regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m., which is expected to include discussions on adding the “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” ordinance and City Charter changes to the November ballot, as well as tax rate proposals, wastewater treatment facility repairs, and others.

The council is also expected to accept public comments on agenda items and items related to city business, for which community members can sign up online, by calling the City Secretary’s office at 806-378-3014 or in person in Room 303 of City Hall at least 15 minutes before the meeting’s start time.

Discussion items listed on the meeting agenda included reviewing an update for the State of the City Event. Further, consent items listed in the meeting’s agenda included approving the minutes for previous work sessions, multiple resolutions regarding utility rates, right-of-way easements, community development projects and grants.

Non-consent items listed in the agenda included readings of multiple potential ordinances regarding zoning and other projects, discussing a proposed tax rate for the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget, service agreements for the ongoing Hollywood Road Wastewater Treatment Facility projects, and discussing matters related to the upcoming special election.

As noted in previous reports on MyHighPlains.com, the special election would include possibly amending the Amarillo City Charter to include items such as increasing the council size to seven, adjusting office term lengths, and establishing geographic residency requirements for some city council positions.

Further, the special election would include the possible “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” ordinance which would consider medication used to perform abortions illegal contraband and place civil liabilities on people who “aid or abet abortions by providing informational, logistical, emotional, or physical support,” to people seeking abortions who are in or traveling through Amarillo.

The 18-page ordinance, among other impacts, would open pathways for people to bring civil lawsuits against others in or traveling through Amarillo who perform acts like driving someone out of state to an abortion provider, giving someone instructions or advice over the phone or internet about seeking abortion care, offering online or software assistance for people seeking abortion care, donating to or fundraising for people seeking abortion care, providing insurance for abortion providers or people who assist them, and others.

The Potter-Randall County Medical Society and organizations such as the Amarillo Reproductive Freedom Alliance have spoken out against both the ordinance and the potential November ballot language, with the PRCMS calling the ballot language “misleading” in a Monday news conference. Supporters of the potential ordinance, such as Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative Founder Mark Lee Dickson, also expressed dissatisfaction with the ballot language.

The full city council meeting agenda can be viewed below, with the full meeting packet available online here.

For the latest Amarillo news and regional updates, check with MyHighPlains.com and tune in to KAMR Local 4 News at 5:00, 6:00, and 10:00 p.m. and Fox 14 News at 9:00 p.m. CST.