SETTING DETROIT ON A CLEAR DIRECTION- OUR CHARTER COMMISSION ENDORSEMENTS

Category: Chronicle Archives Published on Tuesday, 28 July 2009 20:00 Written by Michigan Chronicle

Recent events in Detroit’s history have made it clear that Detroiters cannot afford to wait until 2018 to revise the 1997 City Charter, and the voters agreed last year to elect a City Charter Revision Commission to update the City Charter to address in concrete terms those matters — such as in what circumstances an elected mayor could be removed from office — that were somewhat vague.

That vagueness has sometimes left the city struggling to find answers to troubling issues.

Therefore, the men and women who would sit on the Charter Commission need to be deeply informed regarding the issues shaping this city’s future. They need to be independent thinkers who understand the business of the people and can articulate that into a document that will safeguard the future of this city for many years to come.

Like the democratic intentions of the British Magna Carta, our charter lays the framework for our own democracy here. Our choices for the City Charter Commission are Ken Coleman, John Eddings, Freman Hendrix, Ken Harris, Teola Hunter, Patty Fedewa, Jonathan Kinloch, John Johnson and Jenice Mitchell Ford.

These nine men and women have the necessary combined experience to help draft a revision to the City Charter that will help avoid the chaos that surrounded the investigation, conviction and removal from office of former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, should such an unfortunate event ever happen to Detroit again.

They bring with them a passion and commitment to the city’s business.

These men and women are also the best choice to address issues of whether council members should be elected at large, by district or by some combination; to address the ethical duties and responsibilities of elected officials; and other such matters. We urge you not only to go to the polls next Tuesday, but also to remember the City Charter Revision Commission candidates. Much of the logjam that affected city government last year might have been avoided had the charter been more clear in regards
to certain matters.

Yet we do not hesitate to add that there are also other good candidates running for the City Charter Revision Commission. Thus it is the responsibility of voters to look at both those we are recommending
and others who did not make our recommendation list, and to select the ones they feel are most capable.