local government
Voters in Social Circle, GA this week approved the sale of liquor by the drink. Eleven percent of the city’s registered voters turned out to approve sales by a 63 percent margin.
Linda Curtis of Independent Texans relays how several activists showed up in a state Senate hearing yesterday to protest SB 690, a bill that would essentially strip Texans of their local initiative process by more than doubling the signature requirement. Linda notes that Mike Ford of Initiative for Texas, and a Citizens in Charge Foundation board member, was on hand to defend the initiative process.
A group of citizens in Corpus Christi, TX have turned in over 10,000 signatures to put overturning the city’s ban on smoking in bars and pool halls to a vote. Supporters must have 7,520 verified signatures to qualify for the ballot, if they have not collected enough they will have 30 days to make up the difference.
The City of Nacogdoches and the Coalition for Public Referendum (CPR) plan to work together on potential charter amendments that would bring initiative and referendum to the city. The city commission is anticipated to form a Charter Study Committee to study the proposed amendments. The Coalition for Public Referendum is circulating petitions to being the matter to voters this November.
Not satisfied with the city’s response to its petition drive, citizen group Glosta Tea Party filed a lawsuit against Gloucester officials on Friday, Feb. 6 asking for a suspension of the tax incentive plan brokered between the city and developers of Gloucester Crossing.
A hearing set for Tuesday, Feb. 10, in Salem’s Essex Superior Court was delayed until March 18 after the city requested more time to prepare its case.
Jamie O’Hara, a lead organizer of Glosta Tea Party, said his group was caught off guard by the city’s move.
If a group called Coalition for Public Referendum is successful, Nacogdoches voters could soon have a greater voice in the legislative decisions of the city. The group is collecting signatures to place an item on the ballot in May’s city election that would amend the city charter to provide for initiative, referendum and recall measures.
Churchville attorney Francis Chester said Thursday the response to his petition drive to roll back Augusta County’s property values to 2005 and set aside the current reassessment has been strong. “You would not believe the phone calls and people coming into the office,’’ Chester said. One person asked for 15 petitions to circulate to county property owners, he said. Chester plans to present the petitions to the Augusta County Board of Supervisors at the board’s March 11 meeting.