The status quo in Knox County government is Shakespearean farce. Term limits adopted 14 years ago will finally kick in with the August elections, after two years of chaos that included a huge slate of write-in candidates, temporary nullification of the County Charter, the Black Wednesday appointments, and months of operation under an 11-member Commission. This petition drive looks more like the next chapter in the status quo, complete with the possibility of lawsuits when Commission seats get eliminated or elected fee officers dismissed and they argue that bundling deceived voters.
As I wrote a couple months ago, the solution to the logistical problem of collecting so many signatures was not bundling unrelated items, but prioritizing. There is no reason why all these changes have to happen at once. Put the best amendment (an Inspector General) out first, get it passed, then use the credibility from that effort to advance additional reforms.
Of course, the sad fact is that despite the Baker Center study and lots of time and input, the Mayor's version of the IG position is better than the one on the petition.
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Rikki writes:
The status quo in Knox County government is Shakespearean farce. Term limits adopted 14 years ago will finally kick in with the August elections, after two years of chaos that included a huge slate of write-in candidates, temporary nullification of the County Charter, the Black Wednesday appointments, and months of operation under an 11-member Commission. This petition drive looks more like the next chapter in the status quo, complete with the possibility of lawsuits when Commission seats get eliminated or elected fee officers dismissed and they argue that bundling deceived voters.
As I wrote a couple months ago, the solution to the logistical problem of collecting so many signatures was not bundling unrelated items, but prioritizing. There is no reason why all these changes have to happen at once. Put the best amendment (an Inspector General) out first, get it passed, then use the credibility from that effort to advance additional reforms.
Of course, the sad fact is that despite the Baker Center study and lots of time and input, the Mayor's version of the IG position is better than the one on the petition.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.