08-12-2008, 09:59 PM
08-12-2008, 10:42 PM
It's early but I expect that the folks that got the signatures will offer a slate of candidates that will push for dividing the city into wards. It appears that they want to turn Oak Ridge into little Chicago.
08-12-2008, 11:12 PM
The petition signatures have been certified. Candidates for the commission need to qualify by Aug 21st, I believe. The election for commissioners will be in November.
08-13-2008, 06:05 AM
At http://www.citizennetmom.com Netmom has some great insight into this fiasco.
08-13-2008, 09:51 AM
Perhaps the Charter Commission should take up the referendum rules. It is far too easy to put these silly issues on the ballot. My understanding is that once the Charter Commission forms, they can take up any issue.
08-13-2008, 09:57 AM
I wonder how many voters actually understand the ramifications of this issue. I'm still trying to sort it out.
08-13-2008, 10:08 AM
Ward bosses in Oak Ridge will be an ugly, expensive sight.
08-13-2008, 10:40 AM
The way to defeat the ward bosses will be to vote for candidates that oppose this bizarre proposal.
08-13-2008, 10:57 AM
"Ward bosses in Oak Ridge will be an ugly, expensive sight."
Ward bosses? Your just making that up to scare someone into thinking the way that you do CN.
Whats ugly is the fact that in 1980 Oak Ridge was the 6th most populous city in the state. In 2007 we rank 22nd. We didn't get passed on that list because Oak Ridge is a bad place to live. We got passed because Oak Ridge just isn't the place that businesses want to move to. City after city has grown in population since 1980 and Oak Ridge is still trying to figure out whether or not we want a freakin' gas station on the corner of Union Valley and S. Illinois.
I've said it before, I don't see what the big deal is about district representation. Given the current situation in this city, and our history over the past several years, I'm not sure what damage could be done by allowing folks to be represented by someone in their neighborhood. Honestly, given the current state of OR, what damage could be done by a council elected by district? (Big picture...not petty political fantasies)
Those arguing against district representation have always sounded a bit like "Chicken Little" when this topic comes up. (No offense intended friends and neighbors) Like CN's comment above. Kind of like a group of folks that are way comfortable with the way things are....even though it isn't working.
You tell me what the problem is. Is it the type of government, those in the government or those who live here that are the problem? We can only change the first two.
http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Tenness...tadt_alpha
Ward bosses? Your just making that up to scare someone into thinking the way that you do CN.
Whats ugly is the fact that in 1980 Oak Ridge was the 6th most populous city in the state. In 2007 we rank 22nd. We didn't get passed on that list because Oak Ridge is a bad place to live. We got passed because Oak Ridge just isn't the place that businesses want to move to. City after city has grown in population since 1980 and Oak Ridge is still trying to figure out whether or not we want a freakin' gas station on the corner of Union Valley and S. Illinois.
I've said it before, I don't see what the big deal is about district representation. Given the current situation in this city, and our history over the past several years, I'm not sure what damage could be done by allowing folks to be represented by someone in their neighborhood. Honestly, given the current state of OR, what damage could be done by a council elected by district? (Big picture...not petty political fantasies)
Those arguing against district representation have always sounded a bit like "Chicken Little" when this topic comes up. (No offense intended friends and neighbors) Like CN's comment above. Kind of like a group of folks that are way comfortable with the way things are....even though it isn't working.
You tell me what the problem is. Is it the type of government, those in the government or those who live here that are the problem? We can only change the first two.
http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Tenness...tadt_alpha
08-13-2008, 11:19 AM
Then perhaps you should take this opportunity to tell us why we should change the system we have to dividing the city into wards? If there is no significant difference, then why the change? Why the misrepresentation by the signature takers?