This is a draft resolution for the Santa Barbara City Council. The final resolution may differ slightly. To sign the petition in support of this resolution, click here.

WHEREAS, global nuclear arsenals contain some 15,000 nuclear weapons, with more than 90 percent of these in the arsenals of the U.S. and Russia; and

WHEREAS, the United States government, as a major producer and deployer of nuclear weapons, should take the lead in the global renunciation of nuclear arms and the elimination of the threat of impending devastation; and

WHEREAS, a large-scale nuclear war would kill hundreds of millions of people directly and cause unimaginable environmental damage, producing conditions in which the vast majority of the human race would starve and could become extinct as a species; and

WHEREAS, the policy of nuclear deterrence relied on by the U.S. government is based upon an unproven and unprovable hypothesis regarding human behavior, and is subject to catastrophic failure; and

WHEREAS, the projected expenditure of more than $1.2 trillion to enhance the U.S. nuclear arsenal will exacerbate these dangers by fueling a global arms race and will divert crucial resources needed to assure the well-being of the American people; and

WHEREAS, the failure of the governments of nuclear-armed nations, including the U.S. government, to adequately reduce or eliminate the risk of devastating nuclear attacks requires that the people themselves, and their local elected representatives, take action; and

WHEREAS, the expenditure of City of Santa Barbara (City) funds on goods and services produced by nuclear weapons makers, the investment of City funds in nuclear weapons makers, and the presence of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapons work within the City directly detracts from the maintenance of the City’s public health, safety, morals, economic well-being, and general welfare; and

WHEREAS, the public morality is affronted by the expenditure and investment of City funds on goods or services produced by nuclear weapons makers and the presence of nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons work may ultimately lead to death and devastation; and

WHEREAS, the emergency response services of the City will almost certainly be unable to secure the effects following a major fire, traffic accident, earthquake or similar disaster involving nuclear weapons, nuclear reactors or shipments of hazardous radioactive materials; and

WHEREAS, the allocation of City resources in the form of police, fire, and other services to prepare for and contain the effects of an accident involving nuclear weapons, nuclear reactors, and shipments of hazardous radioactive materials diverts the City’s limited resources from urgently needed human services such as services for children, the elderly and disabled, shelter for the homeless, healthcare, education, and drug abatement; and

WHEREAS, the United States and the residents of Santa Barbara, California would benefit from fully embracing this call for nuclear disarmament as the centerpiece of our national security policy; and

WHEREAS, the City of Santa Barbara has adopted a Socially Responsible Investment Policy in 2017, which discourages investments, ‘in entities that manufacture, distribute or provide financing for tobacco products, weapons, military systems, nuclear power and fossil fuels.”

WHEREAS, the future of today’s young people and generations to come will be disproportionately affected by the consequences of nuclear war and threats of war; and

WHEREAS,  there is an alternative to this march towards nuclear catastrophe. In July 2017, 122 nations called for the banning of all nuclear weapons by adopting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,

The City of Santa Barbara shall hereby be established as a Nuclear Free Zone, in which nuclear reactors and/or nuclear weapons work – including developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, otherwise acquiring, possessing or stockpiling them – is prohibited.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,

  • The City calls upon our federal leaders and our nation to spearhead a global effort to prevent nuclear war by:
    • renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first;
    • ending the President’s sole, unchecked authority to launch a nuclear attack;
    • taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert;
    • canceling the plan to replace the entire U.S. arsenal with enhanced nuclear weapons;  
    • actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals; and
    • Encouraging the U.S. to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; and
  • The City of Santa Barbara will inform the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense and the Governor of California that the City is now a Nuclear Free Zone; and
  • The City will not invest resources or enter into contracts with businesses that are involved in nuclear weapons work.

NUCLEAR FREE COMMEMORATION DAY

Nuclear Free Zone Commemoration Day shall be observed annually within the City of Santa Barbara on September 26th, the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

NUCLEAR FREE SANTA BARBARA COMMITTEE:

Within 60 days of the effective date of this resolution, the mayor shall appoint, with the approval of the City Council, a non-partisan committee to oversee the implementation of and adherence to this resolution.