Jefferson County voters will soon decide whether to adopt a charter for their county. Doing so would make substantial changes in the way Jefferson County’s government would operate. Here is the home page of the charter reform movement. Here is the testimony I gave to their commission, and here are my thoughts about their final charter proposal.
I think that adoption of the charter proposal would benefit the people of Jefferson County. While there are a few parts of it I don’t like, which I discuss in detail in my “Thoughts” piece, on the whole the document is drafted well, and will give the people of Jefferson County the checks and balances that a large county needs. If I lived within JeffCo, I would almost certainly vote for it. (I say “almost” because it is a hypothetical question, and I have to be careful about electioneering.)
One of the best parts of the proposed charter is the way in which it is sure to allow for increasing governmental cooperation by the other entities in the county. That will really benefit the citizens and taxpayers in the long run. There are many other good parts to it, and the members of the commission deserve a great deal of thanks for their time and effort.
From the charter:
3.4.2.22. Cooperate or join by contract or otherwise with any Municipality or Special District or agency thereof, or with the United States of America or any agency thereof, for the planning, development, construction, acquisition or operation of any public improvement or facility, or for a common service; and accept, in the name of the County, gifts, devises, bequests, and grants-in-aid from any Municipality or Special District or agency thereof, or from the United States of America or any agency thereof.
3.4.2.23. Provide the terms upon which the County will perform any services and functions of any Municipality or Special District in the County by agreement of the Municipality or Special District.
On a related note, I thought Franklin County would have the same issue and question on its ballot, but apparently that will be on the April 2009 ballot instead, so I will hold off until then with any comments.
