The Boulder City Council on Thursday, Feb. 6, declined to consider changes to its investment policies to potentially exclude a broader range of weapons manufacturers, marking its latest decision not to weigh in on issues related to the Israel-Hamas war.
The informal vote followed a request from Councilmember Taishya Adams, who last year asked for information on the city’s investments, arguing that Boulder has “skin in the game” regarding the war.
“I want to be in a peacemaking community,” Adams said Thursday.
Mayor Aaron Brockett and Councilmembers Nicole Speer, Matt Benjamin, Tara Winer, Tina Marquis and Mark Wallach opposed reconsidering the policy. Mayor Pro Tem Lauren Folkerts and Councilmembers Ryan Schuchard and Adams supported revisiting it.
Boulder’s current investment policy excludes certain fossil fuels, firearms not used in national defense, tobacco and companies tied to detention centers and prisons, according to a city staff memo.
Councilmembers opposing revisiting the policy said they were concerned about how to define what qualifies as a weapon. Several argued it would divert attention from more pressing issues, while others saw it as a veiled Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) effort against Israel that could further divide the community.
“I think it’s inevitable that this would take a fair amount of staff time and a fair amount of council time,” Mayor Brockett said. “Even if we had the intention to keep it targeted, I think the public would start to engage.”