News Articles
Editorial: Saving voters from themselves
Pensacola News Journal, January 27, 2010
Add at least five Pensacola City Council members to a majority of the Escambia County Commission in their determination to protect voters from ... their own vote.
Naturally, council members assure us that their opposition to putting the city-county consolidation proposal on the ballot has nothing to do with protecting the status quo -- or their positions -- it's all about concerns that city residents won't get a fair shake if consolidation were to be approved ... by those same residents.
Certainly, any council member worried about that has every right to make that argument -- as often and as loudly as he or she wishes -- between now and November, when the referendum would take place if put on the ballot by the Legislature.
But why not make the argument and let voters have their say? The proposed consolidation could not take place unless a majority of city voters approves it (as well as a majority of voters in the county). So it can't be forced on the city -- residents have to vote it in.
But at least five council members have joined commissioners in trying to prevent city voters from having that choice.
Of course, the local legislative delegation can still put the issue on the ballot, regardless of what the City Council and County Commission say. And it should. But the delegation usually wants to see unanimous support from local governments for what the Legislature calls "local" legislation.
And of course it's no secret that at least one legislator -- Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker, is no fan of the proposal and would like to find a reason to kill it. Opposition to consolidation is strongest in the northern part of the county, which Evers, running for state Senate, represents.
As it stands, no one is asking the County Commission or the City Council to go on record either for or against the plan. What they were asked to do was support putting it on the ballot so the voters they work for can decide the issue.
It's far from a secret that much of the opposition to consolidation comes from local elected officials threatened by it. But it would be refreshing to see them put aside their own interests and let the voters have their say.
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