July 17, 2012
Dear Columbus Resident:
I’m writing to you today to share important information about the recently proposed charter amendment which would increase the size of Columbus City Council and eliminate your existing right to vote for all members of city council.
In my view, the proposed charter amendment, initiated by a group of five petitioners, would limit the power of our citizens, disenfranchise our diverse community, and create a dysfunctional form of local government while pitting neighborhood against neighborhood. If enacted, it simply would devastate our collective ability as a community to keep Columbus moving forward.
Columbus has been recognized among the 20 strongest economies coming out of the recession, the best city in the Midwest for job growth, and the largest city with the lowest unemployment rate in the state. City Council is working hard to maintain that momentum, and to grow the economy through an unprecedented investment in economic development and a renewed focus on small, local businesses.
Columbus continues to provide great quality of life for residents of all ages and all walks of life. We are a top destination for young adults, a great place to raise children, and an affordable place to retire. This is a tribute to our safe, healthy and strong neighborhoods supported by City Council’s continued investment in neighborhood infrastructure projects, community-based safety initiatives, and important city services like curbside recycling, graffiti removal, our recreation centers and swimming pools.
All of this – and so much more – has been possible because of the effective partnership between City Council, Mayor Coleman, Auditor Dorrian, City Attorney Pfeiffer, and the hundreds of Columbus residents who volunteer their time, energy and talent on our area commissions and in our civic and business associations. Columbus works because we work together.
I’ve included a link to a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to provide you with detailed facts about the citizen-initiated petition process over the past several months and Council’s role as defined by city charter. In short, the petition failed to meet the minimum requirements for a charter amendment to be placed on the ballot, which is 19,164 valid signatures, representing 10 percent of the electors in the last preceding municipal election. Upon review, the Franklin County Board of Elections determined the petitions contained only 8,471 valid signatures. Therefore, City Council concluded the process by voting unanimously not to place the proposed charter amendment on the November ballot.
Now that the petition process is over, my Council colleagues and I will continue our focus on creating jobs and building healthy, safe and strong neighborhoods working side by side with citizens. That’s what we’ve been elected to do, knowing that we are accountable to every citizen, neighborhood, and area of our city.
Sincerely,
Andrew J. Ginther, President
Columbus City Council
