Neither of the proposals involve much of a change, nor are they much different from each other. The wisdom of electing citywide a mayor who has little real power is doubtful at best, and it would add little besides expense and higher campaign costs. Moreover, the reduction to four commission districts that is in the petition proposal increases the population in a district s by 25 percent, effectively diluting the vote of every individual voter. Four districts and a mayor also means that two of the five voting on commission matters will come from the same district, and together with just one other commissioner can constitute a governing majority even though only two districts are represented in it. What the commission will do with the board s recommendation remains to be seen.
Commissioners didn t seem too happy with the petitioned proposal.
Since that proposal and the one recommended by the charter board are more alike than different, the commissioners aren t likely to be too happy with board s proposal, either. Ultimately, though, it is the commission that will decide whether a second referendum will be added and exactly what that referendum will be. Then, it will be up to the voting public to decide, amid the confusion of two proposals that are bound to have similarities, which one they prefer. And if the public likes the two proposals well enough to approve both, it could all end up in the courts afterward. In the end, of course, any government, however structured and however elected, and whether city or county or even state or federal, is only as good as the people chosen to run it.