Last October, I wrote a letter to the editor that called The Elect Our Mayor initiative “The People’s Power Grab.” I encouraged the City Council to let us, the voters, choose the Mayor directly. The City Council would have to give up that power and let us, the voters, take the power back.
And they did! We’ll be getting our ballots soon and will have the chance to vote yes on B to take the power to elect our Mayor directly and make sure that the Mayor is directly accountable to us.
So I’ve been surprised to see opponents of this measure claim that they are trying to “stop the power grab.” Really? They want to insert themselves between the voters and direct accountability. They want to stop voters from getting power back.
Any person who wants to become Mayor in the new system would have to go through the gauntlet of public elections. Debates, fundraising, and asking for votes. We get the say in that situation. We, the voting public, have the power in that situation.
I’m voting Yes on B and hope that you’ll join me.
Jeanine Bashore / Newport Beach
