Jim Klein

Jim Klein – Current City Councilmember and candidate for At-Large

How do you plan to ensure fair treatment and equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity?

Accessibility to the City and City leadership is paramount in achieving a government of, by, and for the people. Toward that end, I attend a variety of events around the City, sharing my business card with people so that they will know how to contact me should they have an issue with the City. It also is important that Council members clearly communicate to the City staff that they expect equal consideration to be given to everyone regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or other demographic characteristics.

What is your position on the local government’s role in protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination?

City officials should clearly state that discrimination of LGBTQ+ individuals will not be tolerated. Members of the City Council, like myself, can serve as an advocate for those suffering from discrimination to be certain that the City addresses this and all forms of discrimination.

How would you promote initiatives or policies that support diversity and inclusivity across Corpus Christi?

Such policies or initiatives should be placed on the agenda of Council meetings to signal to the public the City’s support for diversity and inclusivity. A City presence at events sponsored by private groups also will convey a message of support and inclusivity.

In addition, we would like to know your thoughts on the current situation with the Corpus Christi Public Library advisory board, which has proposed removing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles from the library’s collection development policy. Many residents are concerned about the potential impact this could have on ensuring our public libraries represent the diverse needs of our community.

I do not agree with recent decisions by the Library Board to restrict access to materials in the public library. The library should be for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or other demographic characteristics. I also do not support efforts to remove diversity, equity and inclusion from the library’s acquisition policies. Unchallenged, these efforts would create a library for some rather than all.