Letter: Vote 'No' to Changing Excelsior's City Charter

To the editor:

Excelsior voters have an important item on the ballot on the upcoming election, namely that of a proposed amendment to the Excelsior City Charter.  

The proposal would make dramatic changes to the Charter, imposing a very detailed and stringent set of financial rules that could bind future City Councils for years to come. The proposal was voted down by the Charter Commission by an overwhelming vote.

The Excelsior charter can be compared to the U.S. Constitution. It is a very short and concise document which outlines the powers and duties of local governance. It is currently a three-page document that has stood the test of time for many years. The proposal would add five pages to this document. By analogy, it would be like making the Internal Revenue Code an amendment to the Constitution.

Not good!

Recently, the Excelsior City Council adopted an ordinance with a shorter and more workable set of financial rules. That proposal received the overwhelming support of the Charter Commission by a vote of 12-1.

Simply put, there is no problem, no need for this charter amendment, no benefit and extra cost to the taxpayer.

This measure will tie the hands of future City Councils with an inflexible and rigid set of financial and reporting rules, restricting the flexibility to deal with financial issues as they arise from time to time.

Please vote no!

Doug & Deborah Schmidt
Excelsior