01/31/05  Blackwood Strong-Arm Mayor Charter Amendments

The ?BLACKWOOD CHARTER? needs to be seen for what it is, not just trivialized as a normal charter amendment, which is most often housekeeping changes.  The effect of this charter would be profound on every citizen of Dallas.  The ?law of unintended consequences?  would be frightening if this were implemented. 

The idea that we would change our basic American representative form of government to an all powerful mayor in a poorly written, poorly conceived document, written by unidentified authors, is really shocking.  The details of this plan often violate state law, contradict its own provisions, and give unchecked power to one person.  It cannot be adopted.

While many cities have strong mayors, their charters do not eliminate all the checks and balances that American government is known for.  The delicate balance of powers create a safety net for all of us, so that no one person can control all aspects of the operation of any governmental body.

This charter change will not address the problems that many encounter at City Hall, as you well know.  Some policy changes, some charter revisions, and a change of personnel would improve the operation of our city much more quickly and effectively.

Let?s defeat this radical charter change on May 7th, then gather people together to give serious thought to planning a better way of doing the business of Dallas.

Pat