petition? not good

[Angela]

So this is going around facebook - seems the Reed family wants the corruption to stay in officer longer!!! not good

"On behalf of the Committee for a Stronger Ludington, my dad and I are circulating petitions, which would allow for an addition to the August 7th ballot. The committee’s goal is to extend the City of Ludington term limits from 3 to 5 terms. We have great momentum and positive energy in our leadership and it is important to keep the movement progressing forward! Help us get the issue on the ballot and stop by our Ludington gallery by Friday at 5pm to sign the petition in support of a Stronger Ludington! We are open from 10am-6pm. Again, deadline to sign the petitions is 5pm this Friday. Thanks, Brad Reed"

[In Dulci Jubilo]

So....essentially....we have the Ball Drop.....we have Friday Night Live.....we have the new walkway.....oh, and did I also mention that we have the Ball Drop?

[Willy]

Have we all forgotten how the system works. Everyone has the right to file a petition. If folks can raise enough  signatures to put something on the ballot then that's their right. The problem arises when an uninformed electorate casts votes for something they know nothing about. It's up the the citizens. If they want a 20 term mayor and vote as such then that's their choice. However, I to am curious as to why they want the extended terms especially those that don't reside in the City. I could understand residents promoting this but non residents wanting this only creates suspicion.

[AQUAMAN]

SOOO True Willy, it casts a strong lingering odorous aspersion on those proposing such nonsense. Even our very own President is subject to 2 terms for a total of 8 years. The same should apply to the rest of DC, including the Senate, and House of Reps.. What I see is a crony petition by outsiders, some insider friendlies too, as wanting to continue with more hidden corruption, the favored nepotism status, unfair non-bid contracts, the special fixed agendas behind closed doors, the special treatments of a select few friends and businesses for special zoning variances, increasing city pay scales beyond imagination for some, re-appointing more frauds to council and management of city functions and city committees, and much much more, perhaps even more yet not uncovered in the Torch. Maybe it's time for not only the Ball Drop, but the "other shoe". Let's think about a petition which should be even more popular, that of reducing the term limits from what they already are, to 2 terms, not 5 terms. New faces, ideas, blood is what term limits is all about, not a dictatorship type of local governing where apathetic voters/non-voters make all this possible, cause they are fed up to their eyeballs with what they don't like already now.

[In Dulci Jubilo]

It is my understanding that certain business leaders have been able to manipulate, through a variety of means and measures, elected government officials for years - perhaps generations.   This amendment to the city charter merely gives it the official stamp of approval.   The fact that it is being rushed onto the August ballot, where low voter turnout is guaranteed, makes the whole affair even stinkier.   

[XLFD]

Even with the contested MC Sheriff primary race, the August ballot will have much lower voter turnout, and if the committee does get enough petition signers, they will be able to pass this easily if they just manage to get all the signers to the polls. 

Especially with the increased political apathy a Ludington summer creates. 

[Willy]

That all goes back to a citizenry who sit on their as_es drooling over dancing with the stars instead of being concerned with what politicians are doing to mess up their lives. The only thing worse than crooked politicians is voter ignorance and apathy which in fact is what enables corruption to flourish.

[XLFD]

Today. there was a story in the paper on the petition.  It's not on the E-edition.  I'll try to put it up tomorrow, with a refutation.  Barry Neal, who lives in Zeeland, whose father Bob is heavily invested in Ludington but lives out in Colorado, seems to have a keen interest in keeping the same political machinery running along in Ludington.  That makes me uncomfortable...

[Angela]

I sent something to WMOM on why dont they do some investigative reporting on this issue instead of just following whats in the LDN - maybe if some news media reports all this crooked stuff the plp of Ludingotn will vote this down if its gets on the ballot

[XLFD]

If this gets fairly discussed, the ballot initiative will be voted down.  But the LDN will be a willing cheerleader for it, because they benefit from and love the current administration.  I suggest we organize a real grass roots petition ourselves for the November ballot if this actually goes through, reducing the amount of terms down to two. 

[In Dulci Jubilo]

Actually, Angela, LDN is following what is said on WMOM.   They scooped this story big-time.

[XLFD]

But does WMOM know who all is on the Committee of six people that are seeking this petition?  Barry Neal is on, and one can presume both Todd and Brad Reed are but who are the other three? 

[Angela]

who is all on the committe? how do we find out? and yes if this goes thru we should form a grassroots committe ourself - XLFD, can you come up with a flyer or something as to all the points why (or most of the points why) peopkle should vote against this?