Know what "Change" you are really voting for

I noted here, in an earlier post, that I agreed with the Herald and Review editorial supporting a Yes vote to retain the current form of City government. The Mayor, who is also the editor of The Decatur Tribune, also makes a very good case for rejecting a "bad change."

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE VOTING FOR IN CITY GOVERNMENT CHANGE QUESTION
01/16/08
Paul Osborne, Editor (Decatur Tribune)
Osborne Online
"... I believe that most of the people who support the ChangeDecatur effort are honestly motivated. They want to eliminate the city manager’s position, give the mayor more power and elect up to 20 aldermen from wards throughout the city. That’s certainly their right -- and I certainly don’t have a problem with citizens voicing or voting their beliefs, whether I agree with them or not.
What is difficult to understand is how anyone with those beliefs could now be supportive of going to a commission form of government which has a track record of little or no representation for minorities, a bloated, bureaucracy with a history of patronage and corruption, and very little citizen or neighborhood input and less members (5 including the mayor) elected at large than we presently have (7 including the mayor).
All the reasons voiced for wanting the mayor/aldermanic form of government are the very same reasons that a commission form should be rejected."

Well said, Mayor. I agree.

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