However, we were surprised and disappointed by the Alibi’s recommendation of a “No” vote on the city/county unification charter. After dedicating many paragraphs to extolling the advantages of a unified government, the Alibi surmises that the proposed charter is unlikely to be ratified by voters because no high-profile officials have been willing to step up and declare what a good idea it is.”
The Alibi gives two other reasons to oppose the charter (after compiling a much-lengthier list of reasons to vote for it):
1) Partisan elections: The Alibi opposes the inclusion of partisan elections in the charter, particularly when a constitutional amendment is also on the ballot to reinstate runoff elections. However, since the constitutional amendment hasn’t passed yet, the Charter Commission could hardly include runoff elections in the draft charter when they’ve been ruled unconstitutional by the courts. So whether the draft charter included partisan or nonpartisan elections, a charter-amendment vote by the residents of the new unified county would nevertheless be necessary before instituting runoff elections.
2) Elected sheriff: One of the major reasons given by voters opposing last year’s version of the charter was that the sheriff would be appointed, not elected. Recognizing that an appointed sheriff would be the kiss of death for this proposed charter, the Unification Commission opted for an elected one. While NMPIRG has no position on the relative merits of an elected or appointed sheriff, we think it unlikely that the disadvantages of either would outweigh the overwhelming advantages of unification as a whole.
The Alibi then does a great disservice to voters by implying that voters will get another shot at unification next year. They won’t. The constitutional amendment addressing unification mandated that a proposed charter be submitted to voters in 2003 and again in 2004 (if it failed in 2003). Thereafter, any attempts at unification must wait at least two years after defeat. But it doesn’t mandate any new efforts, which means that the County Commission (who benefit tremendously from city taxpayer subsidies and city voter apathy) would simply refuse to participate in future efforts.
In fact, 2004 is likely the last opportunity for voters to approve a charter to unify, short of another statewide constitutional amendment reintroducing the mandate.
While flaws in the charter for a unified government can be fixed (as they frequently are), the opportunity to achieve tax equity and save our rural areas from the unchecked sprawl favored by the County Commission is here for a limited time only. Please act now to support unification.
Captain P?
Dick's Dots
No Means No
And yet we must vote down the street bonds again this year because developers are continuing to thrust their sleazy propositions upon us. Through a little bit of political cronyism, they have placed the same street bond package back on the ballot and are once again looking to ravage a Native American scared area with the Paseo extension so that they can build an army of cookie-cutter houses on the Westside. It’s little surprise that the strongest pushers of the Paseo Extension happen to own huge chunks of land on the Westside which they’re itching to turn into subdivisions.
The developers expect us to provide the roads, the water, the schools, and police and emergency services. And they expect us to sacrifice the Petroglyphs on their altar of greed. Well, I am sick of subsidizing their profits with our taxes, scarce resources and cultural heritage. These developers need to learn some respect. When we say no it means no.
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