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Thursday, July 03, 2008
PR v. 9x: Can Charter have it both ways?
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati
Christopher Smitherman, President of the Cincinnati NAACP and former member of the Charter Committee, recently announced an NAACP sponsored petition drive to put Proportional Representation (PR) on the ballot for how City Council gets elected. It seems like the Charter Party, who for years has advocated for PR, would be natural allies. But what is the Charter Party’s official position on the question of PR?
Smitherman recently included this paragraph in a press release about the upcoming petition drive:
Theodore Berry, former Mayor of Cincinnati and former President of the Cincinnati NAACP, was negatively impacted by the removal of Proportional Representation (PR). Theodore Berry was a Charterite and big supporter of PR. The fundamental aspect of PR is fairness and justice within the election process. Cincinnati NAACP Branch President, Christopher Smitherman, says, “It is difficult for anyone or any institution to claim that they support what Theodore Berry stood for, but not support PR.”
The Beacon recently asked the Charter Committee about its position on PR, submitting the following two questions:
1. Did the Executive Committee of the Charter Party (or any committee, for that matter) recently vote in support of the City’s current 9x system?
2. Does the Charter Party intend to formally join the petition effort with the NAACP?
Though not a member of Charter’s executive committee, Councilmember Chris Bortz, a Charterite who I copied on the message, was kind enough to contact Charter leadership to get a response. (Special thanks to Councilmember Bortz for his efforts on this front!) He wrote, “I just talked with Jeff Cramerding, Charter’s Executive Director, who confirmed that Charter’s official position is in support of both 9X and PR.”
Cramerding then contacted The Beacon with support of Bortz’s statement. He wrote, “Chris Bortz’ comments accurately reflect the position of The Charter Committee. If The Charter Committee takes additional action on PR a statement will be forthcoming.”
So the Charter Committee’s official position is to support two different systems! That seems a bit contrary, but Cramerding’s comments about a possible forthcoming statement indicates that, maybe, the jury is out concerning which way Charter will go in light of the NAACP’s petition drive.
The split decision does indicate that, whichever way the decision ultimately goes, there are discussions afoot inside Charter concerning the organization’s future identity and goals.
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06 Jul 2008 at 12:03 pm | #
What do you mean when you refer to 9X?
06 Jul 2008 at 12:05 pm | #
What is 9X?
06 Jul 2008 at 07:09 pm | #
The current system for voting in 9 council candidates, at large.
06 Jul 2008 at 10:32 pm | #
Just wanted to make sure.
So they could have it both ways. The two methods are not mutually exclusive.
Using either system, the council brats can evade accountability. They hide behind the other council memebers and the administration and they never come out for anything unless they are sure 90% of the people won’t get mad.
I don’t understand why the NAACP can’t see this unless they are satisfied with the performance of council. Why would they not fight for all districts unless they feel they can manipulate the process with proportional representation; in which case they are no better than the worst power mongers.