Initiative powers can provide check
Published 12:49 am Friday, October 3, 2008
An interesting opportunity is in front of residents within the city limits of North Bend: the ability to add one more level of checks and balances to municipal government. This opportunity, invoking the powers of referendum and initiative, is in the petition stage. If enough signatures are gathered and it is adopted, this system will provide residents the opportunity to check the actions of the City Council, or balance a lack of action with an initiative.
For instance, let’s just assume that the North Bend City Council passes an ordinance making it illegal to eat french fries within city limits. Of course, the ACLU would have a field day with this one, but for illustrative purposes, let’s assume no more fries. The council, citing public safety as the reason for outlawing french fries (lots of studies indicate that french fries are unhealthy), passes a law prohibiting the sale or consumption of french fries within the city limits. (I have this vision of Prohibition and speakeasies where we can all eat Dairy Freeze french fries.)
After the ordinance is passed, a ground swell of french-fry advocates and community members decides the council has gone too far and is not representing its constituency on this issue. If the city is not a referendum and initiative city, in this example, then the ordinance would be enacted unless vetoed by the mayor. If the city is a referendum and initiative city, there is the possibility that a referendum could be put to a vote of the people and, if passed, the ordinance could be rescinded. (French-fry lovers everywhere will once again be allowed to drive through town munching on fries.)
The move to a referendum and initiative city allows another level of checks and balances to be in place. It allows the majority will of the city’s residents to be heard immediately. If the council is representing the true will of the people, then residents wouldn’t have to wait until the next election to vote them out of office and be heard.
But on the flip side, I do think it takes some extreme decisions on the part of the council to even have a community consider changing to a referendum and initiative city. I agree with Jack Webber in saying that as long as people from across the community are involved in the decision-making process, then it shouldn’t come to this. But for some reason, in many minds, it has come to this.
Therefore, if you are a North Bend resident I encourage you to sign the petition to change North Bend to a referendum and initiative city. It will provide all North Bend residents an opportunity to check the council’s actions, and if it is not representing your interests by passing the “french-fry” ordinance, then force a change by referendum. Or if it will not take action by ordinance on something you would like enacted, do it by initiative.
But beyond this final-step measure, get involved in the decision-making process, be heard through letters, attend meetings or even just send an e-mail to a council member.
Before I close, I know someone out there will think I am taking a pot shot at the cell-phone ordinance and may even go so far as to say I am not safety conscious by disagreeing with this ordinance. It all boils down to this: There are bigger fish to fry – albeit they are a lot less glamorous – than the cell-phone ordinance. And until someone can show us how many accidents have occurred due to cell-phone usage in the city limits of North Bend, it is all a waste of a lot of collectively great resources.
