DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The City of Daytona Beach is considering changing the way events are approved after some commissioners raised concerns about recent city-sponsored functions.
Those commissioners claimed on two separate occasions, the city used tax-payer dollars to support or give a platform to politically motivated events or causes.
Commissioner Stacy Cantu first publicly expressed concern two weeks ago about the city partnering with the Florida Education Association, which is the state’s largest teacher’s union, to host a banned books tour using tax dollars.
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She was backed by Commissioner Monica Paris.
“They have every right to do whatever they want but not on city property,” said Cantu.
“It could have been something as simple as you know what this is divisive, maybe we shouldn’t have them come,” said Paris.
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When Eyewitness News interviewed Mayor Derrick Henry then, he defended the book fair. Henry said it was meant to encourage literacy in the city’s poorest neighborhoods. He shared that same sentiment at Wednesday night’s meeting.
“In the last 11 years, I have not participated in anything that I would describe as better than this particular event,” said Henry.
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After more than an hour of arguments, the City Attorney agreed to draft up a sponsorship of events policy for commissioners to vote on.
“That shows in writing what in fact is being done to review proposed events to make sure that we are not doing anything that would cause undue controversy,” said City Attorney Ben Cross.
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