No one can expect, of course, any sitting elected official to happily shorten her or his term of office. The idea behind this legislation is the same principle currently governing the State Senate which serves two four-year terms and one two-year making certain that they stand for election as soon after redistricting as possible.
I support this legislation for a number of reasons. One cannot possibly serve a constituency that never elected him/her for fully half of one's term. The people who elected their councilmember did so believing themselves to be represented by that person for as long as that person's term runs. No term should outlive its jurisdiction. To thwart proper representation under these circumstances would add to the cynicism already so ingrained in our culture around self-serving officials. City Councilmembers are in the early stages of even having 4-year terms. It is a privilege to have 4-year terms, but again, no term should exceed its reach beyond the change in boundaries of its ward/district. To do otherwise is to automatically disenfranchise about a third of the voting citizenry. I hop Rep. Kahn and her colleagues in both houses will make the principle applicable in all districted jurisdictions where 4-year terms are the norm. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul ------ "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who, in times of moral crisis, remain neutral" --Dante > From: "Phyllis Kahn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 16:54:14 -0600 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Mpls] City elections > > I have introduced a bill HF 2593 (linked below, I hope) that would > require the city council members and park board members elected by > district to run in their new districts (after redistricting) in 2003 > rather than 2005 as scheduled. To do otherwise makes a mockery out of > the timely use of census data to implement a one person- one vote > philosophy. I do not sense a lot of enthusiasm from council members I > have spoken with. Can we have some discussion on this list particularly > from elected officials? I also need a Senate author. > > http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/cgi-bin/getbill.pl?number=HF2593&session=ls > 82&version=latest&session_number=0&session_year=2002 > > Phyllis Kahn, State Rep. 59B > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
