A request to ask the Finance Committee to consider divesting city funds from weapons and military defense companies was turned down last week after a majority of Lewiston councilors argued that social issues shouldn’t be brought into city finances.

The council voted 4-3 against, with Mayor Carl Sheline providing the tie-breaking vote with Councilor Michael Roy absent.

Councilor Josh Nagine, who brought the proposal forward, said he doesn’t believe that city investments should be tied up in companies that manufacture weapons given the city’s issues with gun violence as well as the multiple military conflicts occurring worldwide that use American-made weaponry.

“Investing in companies that produce civilian casualties in the global sphere is putting our taxpayer dollars in places that are going against our moral values,” he said.

However, other councilors and Sheline argued that the proposal was “performative” and would result in more work for staff with no benefit to the city.

The discussion also took place after midnight during one of the City Council’s longest meetings in recent memory.

Councilor Tim Gallant called the proposal “a waste of time.”

“Dealing with social issues and trying to be diversified is not our job,” he said. “Our job is to make money for our people out there with pension plans.”

Some also questioned where the city would draw the line on investments, mentioning other potential thorny issues like alcohol, tobacco and fossil fuels.

Nagine argued that the proposal would only send a recommendation along to the Finance Committee to explore “whether or not it’s possible.”

Council President David Chittim said that while Nagine’s “heart is in the right place,” the city would have to “burrow down several layers” to identify individual companies in the city’s accounts that are handled by banks.

Finance Director Tracy Roy said the bulk of the city’s investments are in certificates of deposit through federal credit unions.

“I suspect this would make us feel good, but the minuscule amount of money Lewiston has in global influence would make no difference at all,” Chittim said.

Sheline said the issue is more nuanced, and that defense companies also produce arms that defend civilians. He also pointed out that Bath Iron Works is one of the state’s largest employers.

Nagine pushed back on the idea that divesting from certain companies would be too difficult, pointing out that the Lewiston Public Library board has done it.

Sheline, who serves on the library board of trustees, said last year the library board made changes to its investment policy for its endowment fund, divesting from weapons and defense contractors, a move he also opposed.

Councilor Scott Harriman supported exploring divesture, stating, “I see this question as something of where our values stand as a city.”

Residents during public comment were also split. Elizabeth Eames said it would be a way to push back on the “cancerous growth of the military industrial complex” and that it’s worth exploring.

Melissa Dunn told councilors that “we should be concerned where our investments are going.”

“We have a gun violence problem in our city,” another resident said. “I don’t want tax dollars going to gun violence problems in other cities.”

Matt Agren questioned how officials could justify divesting from such companies while still arming its police department.

“Does this also mean we’ll be disarming our police?” he said. “Do I agree that the military industrial complex has gotten too large? Absolutely. But, it comes back to us as a city, we’re still sending money to them for bulletproof vests.”