Is Columbus City Hall Misleading Voters?

A few weeks ago Katherine Cull emailed city commissioners with the subject line: “Educational Handout.” Inside the email was the City Council approved pdf titled, “Issue 8 and 9 Handout.”

Unfortunately, I opened the pdf and read it. Now you have to:

“Issue 8 and 9 Handout” - attached to this article

The Good News.

Yes, some information is accurate.

The “Educational Handout” describes the current system used to elect City Council. Yet, it leaves so many unanswered questions that it couldn’t be any kind of random mistake.

The pdf is finely crafted to promote what City Council wants you to believe.

The “Educational Handout” goes to the trouble to ignore critical questions in favor of promoting the message that serves themselves and their corporate owners. This is the hallmark of propaganda; to confuse and mislead voters by not asking the best questions.

The Bad News.

This “Educational Handout” isn’t educational when it leaves out the most important questions that voters are asking.

1.     How Did Issue 8 and Issue 9 Get on the Ballot?

Issue 8 was a grassroots effort by a diverse team of people who are tired of City Council not serving the needs of the people. They love Columbus enough to spend their time and energy to create positive change. Our City Our Say motivated people to invest thousands of hours to collect signatures (plus thousands of dollars in donations); it’s an amazing accomplishment.

A citizen sponsored ballot issue is rare, because the City Charter is designed to make it difficult.

Issue 9 happened only after Issue 8 was approved to be on the ballot.

This is cause and effect. Issue 9 deserves no credit for listening to the voices of the people. Issue 9 was written in private by the current members of City Council; for their own benefit. They measured the needs of the rich and powerful vs. the needs of the people. Big surprise?

You lost and the rich and powerful were given the gift of four “At-Large” seats on City Council.

No citizen organizations were asking for these four “At-Large” seats other than City Council (who need to protect their campaign donations and pensions). It is the choice of City Council to maintain the corporate control of city government; it works great for them.

Issue 9 exists as a reaction to Issue 8.

2.     Does the NAACP Support “At-Large” Voting?

In 2018 a similar citizen-led effort tried and failed to bring equitable districts, district representation, and impose term limits. The city of Columbus appealed the 42,000 signatures of this citizen ballot issue all the way to the State Supreme Court where it was defeated.

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund agreed that “At-Large” seats on City Council are discriminatory against concentrated minorities.

Therefore, adding four “At-Large” seats to City Council is in direct opposition to what the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Democratic Party believes.

I’m not African-American, but I still respect the NAACP.

3.     How Much Will Each Ballot Issue Cost?

Columbus has underfunded both Fire and Police Departments for years in favor of corporate welfare (tax abatements) for wealthy developers and real estate investors. Giving our tax dollars to the rich and powerful is the central goal of Columbus City Hall; so how can they afford 4 more members on City Council?

Simple, we can’t afford Issue 9 and that’s why it was left out of the “Educational Handout.”

Do the math.

Issue 9 means over two million dollars each year that Columbus cannot afford.

1.     Salary and benefits for 4 more members of City Council, plus…

2.     Eight more full-time legislative aids, plus…

3.     One or more full-time police officers for their private security detail, plus…

4.     Renovations to Council Chambers, office space, paper clips, etc.

Ballot Issue 8 has no additional costs.

Therefore, City Hall can keep giving our tax dollars away to the rich and powerful (who then make campaign donations to City Council).

Think about this if you decide to vote.

You can read the “Educational Handout” sent by City Council, but I beg you to remember the three points of your vote that City Hall needs you to ignore:

1.     How were the ballot issues created?

2.     Which ballot issue doesn’t represent the NAACP or Democratic Party?

3.     How much more will it cost you as a tax-payer?

I already know how I’m going to vote. Ignoring the real questions is covert manipulation; something we’ve seen in the past.

I dare you to vote NO on Issue 9 and YES on Issue 8.

Democracy is worth fighting for.

Columbus is worth fighting for.