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A mayoral commission on charter change is no joke
Figured I'd do a quick update on the status of charter change in the Spa City.
I spoke to Mayor Scott Johnson yesterday about Saratoga Springs Housing Authority business (which is in the paper today) and I was about to get off the phone when he said "Isn't there something you want to ask me," with a laugh.
"Of course," I responded. "I don't want to make a liar out of myself."
He said he had read the recent blog post on charter change and said he thought my claim that I ask him whether he has made a decision to form a mayoral commission yet "virtually every time I talk to him" was a bit of an exaggeration.
Maybe, but I definitely ask him a lot.
Anyway, he said he still hasn't publicly decided. I asked if the clock has run out yet for that, since now we're six weeks away from the drop-dead deadline for a commission presenting its findings to get put on the ballot and thus, bump Saratoga Citizen from the ballot.
"It would really depend on the scope" of the changes the commission is asked to review, he said. The narrower the scope, the less time it would take.
I told him there is a joke floating around the newsroom that the sole scope of the mayoral commission will be to change the title of a single city hall position thereby blocking Saratoga Citizen's proposal.
He didn't sound amused. He said any charge the commission is given will be toward improving the city's charter.
Tough crowd.
I spoke to Mayor Scott Johnson yesterday about Saratoga Springs Housing Authority business (which is in the paper today) and I was about to get off the phone when he said "Isn't there something you want to ask me," with a laugh.
"Of course," I responded. "I don't want to make a liar out of myself."
He said he had read the recent blog post on charter change and said he thought my claim that I ask him whether he has made a decision to form a mayoral commission yet "virtually every time I talk to him" was a bit of an exaggeration.
Maybe, but I definitely ask him a lot.
Anyway, he said he still hasn't publicly decided. I asked if the clock has run out yet for that, since now we're six weeks away from the drop-dead deadline for a commission presenting its findings to get put on the ballot and thus, bump Saratoga Citizen from the ballot.
"It would really depend on the scope" of the changes the commission is asked to review, he said. The narrower the scope, the less time it would take.
I told him there is a joke floating around the newsroom that the sole scope of the mayoral commission will be to change the title of a single city hall position thereby blocking Saratoga Citizen's proposal.
He didn't sound amused. He said any charge the commission is given will be toward improving the city's charter.
Tough crowd.
posted by Unknown at
2:37 PM
5 Comments:
He and his appointees need a sense of humor.
From a strictly political perspective it would be to the loyal oppositions benefit if Johnson DID appoint a revision commission at this late day for it would be seen as yet another move to subvert a democratic process.
The sole purpose of Johnson's "Commission" will only be put together to kick Saratoga Citizen's Charter Change proposal off the ballot, that's it. This is proven by how much money he cost the citizens with his constant court losses annd appealls. If he was any kind of Mayor and thought of the current charter and how it could be improved and how the citizens would benefit why would he wait to appoint a Commission this late in the election year when he has been saying he could appoint one for the last 3 years? This is his way of leadership, just as like when he was an attornney wait until the very last minute. Mayor Johnson, we expect nothing more of you than shafting the citizens to get your way.
Saratoga Citizen has imposed itself upon this city one person with a grudge has been behind this move for change from the beginning and it will be crushed again because Saratoga Springs is a success story and is the envy read them and weep,Johnson gets things done like him or not that's a fact,it's a grudge launched by a bunch of jealous wanna-bees..shameful!
Aren't the powers that the Mayor has in relation to forming his charter commission part of the quote-un-quote part of the democratic process,bear in mind NO one group or groups went to Pat Kane and asked HIM to launch this over throw of our successful form of gov't,it was quite the contrary he launched it himself and there in lies the lies!
I think you meant to say that 2300 voters signed the petition to put the referendum on the ballot. or maybe 4 of the 5 city council members voted to place it on the ballot.
The mayor is holding by his fingernails.
Beat Wilkes by 200 votes and who knew Wilkes?
Beg Bugs,
Housing Authority Mutiny,
Huge Outside legal bills,
The Waterfront Park taking six years and we have just a driveway and port a potties.
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