EPA RELOCATION RESOLUTION

WHEREAS:

The Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity (MORE²) is a community of congregations working together to improve access to opportunity, health and quality education for people throughout greater Kansas City.

MORE² has successfully advanced significant public policy initiatives to secure jobs for people of color and people with low incomes in construction trades, funding for public transportation and equitable tax policy.

MORE² is concerned that relocation of the Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 office and its 600 jobs from Kansas City, Kansas in Wyandotte County to Lenexa, Kansas in Johnson County will put the poor and vulnerable at risk.

• This move will relocate good paying jobs in one of the most economically challenged communities in the state to one of the most affluent counties in the United States;
• This move will locate a federal building to an area that is served by commuter transit lines, which are not required to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2008;
• This move will relocate 600 jobs from an area currently well-served by public transportation to an area only minimally served by transit, limiting transportation options for EPA workers;
• This move will divide EPA offices and laboratories resulting in increased traffic and environmental impacts in both counties; and
• Finally this move does not appear to be consistent with current administration policies to locate federal facilities in urban core locations.

THEREFORE:

MORE² opposes the relocation of the EPA Region 7 office and its 600 jobs from Kansas City, Kansas in Wyandotte County to Lenexa, Kansas in Johnson County.

Click here to sign a petition to stop the move:

http://www.wycokck.org/form.aspx?ekfrm=28985

Tune into Religion on the Line on Sunday mornings, 6:00 – 8:00 am, KCMO, AM band 710. Call in to join topical conversations with Co-Hosts Senior Rabbi Zedek, Emanuel Congregation, Chicago; Rev. Dr. Robert L. Hill, Senior Minister, Community Christian Church, Kansas City, MO; and Dr. John Purk, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.

It all started at the MORE” Congregational Assembly at St. Stephen Baptist Church on February 22, 2011.  Rev. Margaret Roberts called us to act to Renew the Earnings Tax.  MORE” Co-Chairs Rev. Bobby Love and Rev. Ron Brooks signed the resolution joining the 100+ companies, unions and organizations who were part of the campaign.

Don Hall, President and CEO of Hallmark, received the resolution.

“The Earnings Tax is essential to Kansas City being a vibrant and healthy community,” Don remarked,  “MORE”’s endorsement of our efforts to extend this existing tax is testament to the fact that this tax is fair, necessary and important to maintaining social justice in our community.”

And the results:  77.5% of Kansas Citians voted to renew the Earnings Tax!

MORE” thanks our leadership, who hosted over 15 dialogues and one beautiful rally to educate our families on the Earnings Tax.  In addition to our own congregational work, our leaders volunteered for the campaign–calling, polling and handing out literature–TRULY DEMOCRACY IN ACTION!

For more information on how to support the work of MORE” : http://www.more2.org/contribute/