As a recent graduate of the City Council, I support and appreciate Phyllis Kahn's efforts to implement redistricting at the City level as soon as possible.
The requirement should be applied in the future, however -- not retroactively. Cutting short the current four-year terms would make a mockery of the elections held last November. No one can say for sure whether the outcomes of some of the elections may have been different had voters known they were choosing someone to represent them for only two years. It might have resulted in more new faces -- or fewer. Some voters might have been willing to take more of a gamble on a new face, knowing they'd only have to live with that decision for two years. That same train of thought might have led others to give a familiar face one last two-year chance. The two groups might have cancelled each other out, meaning it would have made no difference. The bottom line is: No one can know for sure. That's why we shouldn't tamper with the election after the fact. Above all, I hope we continue to have concurrent terms for the Mayor and City Council. Let's not make it possible for the whole City Council to run for Mayor without having to give up their City Council seats. Great discussion to have here! Thanks for starting it, Phyllis. Dore Mead Tangletown _______________________________________ 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
