Comments on: When to replace a city government http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/11/17/when-to-replace-a-city-government/ The voice of Clarksville, Tennessee Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:52:43 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: David Cutting http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/11/17/when-to-replace-a-city-government/comment-page-1/#comment-10398 David Cutting Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:37:11 +0000 http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/?p=12486#comment-10398 I agree, but whatever we do, the election process for a mayor every four years and six new council seats every two years must include opportunities for the voters to learn about the candidates, so they may vote intelligently. This should include, as a minimum, one question and answer forum, to which all qualified candidates are invited. The questioning should be by a neutral entity, perhaps from Austin Peay State University, and the candidates should not have advance access to the questions. The venue should be large enough to hold all interested voters, and have ample parking. Appropriate sites could include the former Gateway Hospital on Madison and the Media Center at Austin Peay State University. To reach even more voters, we should televise the forum on a channel available to all voters, not just Charter and CDE lightband subscribers. When we elect our mayor and city councilors based mainly on who spent more money on yard signs and billboards, we do not necessarily achieve good government. We simply install those who have raised money from contributors expecting paybacks, and the paybacks are always at the expense of the unsuspecting residents. I agree, but whatever we do, the election process for a mayor every four years and six new council seats every two years must include opportunities for the voters to learn about the candidates, so they may vote intelligently. This should include, as a minimum, one question and answer forum, to which all qualified candidates are invited. The questioning should be by a neutral entity, perhaps from Austin Peay State University, and the candidates should not have advance access to the questions. The venue should be large enough to hold all interested voters, and have ample parking. Appropriate sites could include the former Gateway Hospital on Madison and the Media Center at Austin Peay State University. To reach even more voters, we should televise the forum on a channel available to all voters, not just Charter and CDE lightband subscribers. When we elect our mayor and city councilors based mainly on who spent more money on yard signs and billboards, we do not necessarily achieve good government. We simply install those who have raised money from contributors expecting paybacks, and the paybacks are always at the expense of the unsuspecting residents.

]]> By: Bill Larson http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2008/11/17/when-to-replace-a-city-government/comment-page-1/#comment-10397 Bill Larson Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:56:05 +0000 http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/?p=12486#comment-10397 Why wait... The Tennessee Constitution Article 1 Section 1... <blockquote>That all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness; for the advancement of those ends they have at all times, an unalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform, or abolish the government in such manner as they may think proper.</blockquote> Lets disband the city government and recreate it with more accountability, more limitations on how it can spend taxpayers money, a referendum process, a recall process, and lets not forget a runoff election process. Now they have never setup a process for doing so, but because it's a right enshrined in the constitution they would be required to come up with one. I think we could use the 75% of the city voters threshold that's used for ballot questions in the current charter. It's something to think about because this administration is funneling taxpayer funds out of city coffers and into as many private hands as they can before they are booted out of office. You can bet that certain city officals will be hip deep in these private ventures as soon as they are out of office. I guess rich just isn't rich enough for some people. Why wait… The Tennessee Constitution Article 1 Section 1…

That all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their peace, safety, and happiness; for the advancement of those ends they have at all times, an unalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform, or abolish the government in such manner as they may think proper.

Lets disband the city government and recreate it with more accountability, more limitations on how it can spend taxpayers money, a referendum process, a recall process, and lets not forget a runoff election process.

Now they have never setup a process for doing so, but because it’s a right enshrined in the constitution they would be required to come up with one. I think we could use the 75% of the city voters threshold that’s used for ballot questions in the current charter.

It’s something to think about because this administration is funneling taxpayer funds out of city coffers and into as many private hands as they can before they are booted out of office. You can bet that certain city officals will be hip deep in these private ventures as soon as they are out of office.

I guess rich just isn’t rich enough for some people.

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