I fully support the constitutional change adopted in 2001 to elect new delegates in the same year as the council and mayoral elections.
I am in the 6th ward. This ward is comprised of neighborhoods with very high transition rates. Many of the delegates elected are young renters that if elected as a delegate one year may not be living here the next. It has been a proven fact year after year. If we are forced to have endorsing conventions with delegates elected the previous year we could lose up to half of the delegates. That is not likely the case in Earl Netwalls ward. He lives in a stable neighborhood with a high percentage of home ownership. I am sure the delegate base in his legislative district has many of the same people from year to year. I think it is true that delegates elected during a national election year may have different issues or reasons for being delegates in a national election year. I am willing to bet many of the delegates elected in my legislative district this year didn't even know who their councilmember was. I also know that I would find it an act of bad faith to make a constitutional amendment this year that would change it back. I was so encouraged by the "new blood" that the caucuses attracted this year that I didn't pursue a delegate seat instead letting some of the new energized people have my seat. I know some of my neighbors did the same thing. I would not have done that had I known that I may not be able to participate in the endorsing convention for council next year. I hope the convention will do the fair thing and allow new delegates to be elected for the council and mayoral races next year. Barb Lickness Whittier ===== "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
