Measure T campaigners want to elect mayor next
Citizens who led Measure T have a new goal
– they want to reorganize city government.
”
We’ll be working on the model in the next six months,
”
said Rick Rivas, a political consultant who led the Measure T
campaign.
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The city of Hollister can’t afford another Measure T.
”
Measure T campaigners want to elect mayor next
Citizens who led Measure T have a new goal – they want to reorganize city government.
“We’ll be working on the model in the next six months,” said Rick Rivas, a political consultant who led the Measure T campaign. “The city of Hollister can’t afford another Measure T.”
Community leaders and interested citizens are going to put together a blueprint for legislation that would change the way Hollister’s mayor is chosen.
Currently, there are five council members. The mayor is chosen based on a rotating system, said Doug Emerson, a Hollister city council member.
“There’s no rules for it,” he said. “It can change from year to year, but normally we look at who’s been on the council the longest.”
Since Emerson is the vice mayor, he will probably be the next Mayor, he said. That is usually the way the council chooses Hollister’s next mayor.
“In this kind of government, the mayor doesn’t have any power,” Emerson said.
The legislation might also propose reorganizing the voting districts and adding an additional city council member. People in Hollister will have the opportunity to vote on the plan in the November 2008 election or a special election in mid 2009.
“There’s no question in my mind that this would succeed,” Rivas said. “It’s in the best interest of people and a solid, efficient, accountable government.”
People are fed up with the way city officials have managed their tax dollars, he said. Passing Measure T was just the first step toward fixing Hollister’s financial crisis.
The appointed mayor has created a system where city government is not accountable to citizens, he said. Citizens need a mayor who can be held responsible when things go wrong, or congratulated when things are going well.
“A directly elected mayor will allow people from Hollister to have greater influence over city government,” Rivas said. “I believe that people deserve a directly elected mayor.”
This is not a new idea, but it is something that should happen, Rivas said.
“I won’t donate any of my time if the city counsel finds itself in the same position five years from now,” he said, referring to the financial crisis.
