Goldwater Institute ‘misinterpreted’ Queen Creek on hiring policy, mayor says

A recent action by the Queen Creek Town Council has the Goldwater Institute calling it a major win in its crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion, but Mayor Julia Wheatley maintains that’s a “misinterpretation” of what took place.

During its Sept. 4 meeting, the council voted 6-0 to amend the town’s administrative policies and procedures manual, which included new language to “not require nor support any affirmative action policies or practices.” Council Member Leah Martineau was not present at the meeting to vote.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is dominating our government, universities, and businesses, but one town in Arizona has taken a stand. This week, Queen Creek, Arizona, became the first municipality in the state to ban the town government from implementing the discriminatory ideology,” according to a blog written by Austin VanDerHeyden, director of municipal affairs at the Goldwater Institute.

Wheatley said the Goldwater Institute blog’s assessment of the council’s vote surprised her “because what they wrote wasn’t reflective of the action that we took.”

“We have added clarifying language to what we already do, which is merit-based hiring,” Wheatley said. “It is a misinterpretation because this is not based on DEI. It is just reconfirming our merit-based hiring. It doesn’t say DEI in there whatsoever. We appreciate diversity and we always hire on merit.”

Asked to comment on Wheatley’s reaction, Joe Setyon, senior communications manager at the Goldwater Institute, did not use the word “ban” but continued to reference DEI.

“We’re glad that Queen Creek took strong action to ensure that hiring is based on merit. (The resolution) ensures taxpayer dollars will not be spent on policies that further the tenets of DEI: race- and gender-based discrimination. DEI teaches Americans to judge either based on skin color — but this resolution affirms that the town will focus on merit and equal opportunity for all,” Setyon stated in an email.

Wheatley said no one from the Goldwater Institute has contacted her or the town in relation to the blog post.

However, comments during the meeting by Council Member Travis Padilla, who supports socially conservative causes, were quoted in the blog.

In a text message to the Queen Creek Independent, Padilla wrote that the council had “codified merit-based inclusivity in our employee handbook which will promote equality of opportunity over equality of outcome and prevent destructive and divisive policies like DEI from being implemented in QC.”

Wheatley said that it was important to remember the opinions of any individual council member do not represent the council as a whole.

“Every single council member has their own opinion, their own take on things but the council as a whole is committed to merit-based hiring and that has been in place since as long as I’ve been on council and it’s not changing,” she said.

Changes to the hiring manual were part of the council’s consent agenda in which all items are considered routine and enacted by a single vote unless a councilor or staff member asks that it be taken off for a separate discussion and vote. Padilla asked for the item to be moved for a separate discussion and vote. No other council member commented on the item.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org.