Proposition 7 on the upcoming Texas Constitutional Amendment election is being sold as something that saves home-rule cities money but, at what cost?
The ballot wording is: “The constitutional amendment authorizing a home-rule municipality to provide in its charter the procedure to fill a vacancy on its governing body for which the unexpired term is 12 months or less.”
The state says that Prop. 7 “proposes a constitutional amendment to allow home-rule municipalities to adopt charter provisions authorizing the filling of vacancies in the governing body by appointment, but only when the remainder of the vacant term is less than 12 months. Under current law, municipal voters may adopt terms of office for municipal officers longer than two years, but upon approving longer terms of office, any resulting vacancies in office must be filled by special election. The proposed amendment would provide an option for home-rule municipalities to fill short-term vacancies through appointment.”
The affect of Proposition 7 is to take power away from you, the voting citizen. In my own city, a successful recall election is on the November ballot for a corrupt city councilman. If recalled, he would have less than a year left on his term and the city-insiders could simply appoint an ally, or even re-appoint him, leaving recall voters in the lurch.
The idea that having an election to fill a seat is just too much trouble and money for local governments, which never seem worried about wasting our money on non-necessary items, is ridiculous. I urge a “No” vote on Prop. 7.
See my full guide to all the proposed amendments, updated with new information daily, at: https://prattontexas.com/2013/10/09/guide-to-the-november-5th-2013-texas-constitutional-amendment-election/
