If you like it then you should have put your name on it…

March 26, 2021 By in Fayetteville Politics 3 Comments

A website advocating a change in the makeup of the Fayetteville City Council is making rounds on social media.

From the homepage:

Today, a local group of concerned citizens announces that they have formed a new group, VoteYesFayetteville (VoteYesFayetteville.com), to organize a citizen-led petition to add a referendum on an upcoming election to improve the structure of the City Council from its current nine single member districts and mayor to a structure of five single member districts and four at large members and mayor elected by the entire city.

VoteYesFayetteville.com

They’ve even created stick-figure graphics to get their point across:

Before I give you my opinion on this, here’s a breakdown of the law:

In North Carolina, if you want to change the way your city council is elected, you have two options.

  1. Get the city council to make the change; or
  2. Force the city council to make the change.

#1 is extremely rare. Why change the political mechanisms that put you in office?

As to #2, here’s relevant portions of a relevant statute:

§ 160A-104. Initiative petitions for charter amendments.
The people may initiate a referendum on proposed charter amendments. An initiative petition shall bear the signatures and resident addresses of a number of qualified voters of the city equal to at least ten percent (10%) of the whole number of voters who are registered to vote in city elections according to the most recent figures certified by the State Board of Elections or 5,000, whichever is less.

Upon receipt of a valid initiative petition, the council shall call a special election on the question of adopting the charter amendments proposed therein, and shall give public notice thereof in accordance with G.S. 163-287. The date of the special election shall be fixed on a date permitted by G.S. 163-287. If a majority of the votes cast in the special election shall be in favor of the proposed changes, the council shall adopt an ordinance amending the charter to put them into effect.

I love the way that statute starts: “The people…” That’s rare in law.

It appears that the purpose of the voteyesfayetteville.com website is to get a whole bunch of people to sign their petition. They need 5,000 registered voters in Fayetteville to sign. If they get them, the issue of at-large seats will be put on the ballot.

Put Your Name On It

As to where I stand, I wrote a post on this site two years ago called: The Case for At-Large Seats – Fayetteville City Council. Read it. I also remember going on the “Good Morning Fayetteville” radio program and promoting at-large seats shortly thereafter. My opinion hasn’t changed in the past two years. At-large seats would be good for Fayetteville.

Note: A previous version of this post criticized the website for not identifying the individuals behind it. A few hours after this post, a reader pointed me to the bottom of the “What’s At Stake” portion of the website. It lists the following supporters:


Tony Chavonne, Mayor 2005-2013
Nat Robertson, Mayor 2013 – 2017
Bobby Hurst, Council Member 2007 – 2017
Ted Mohn, Council Member Dec 2007-Dec 2011 and Dec 2013-Dec 2019
Wade Fowler, Council Member Dec 2011 – Dec 2013
Wesley Meredith, Council Member Dec 2005 – Jan 2011
Jim Arp, Council Member Jan 2011 – Dec 2019
Chalmers McDougald, Council Member Dec 2013 – Dec 2017

An Early Bright Spot in 2021

March 10, 2021 By in Fayetteville Politics, NC Politics Leave a comment

Something rare for North Carolina politics happened today. Governor Cooper and the Republicans controlling the North Carolina Legislature actually agreed on something:

The plan calls for all elementary schools to open under “Plan A,” a category that means full in-person classes without the distancing requirements of “Plan B,” which has typically been implemented as a mix of in-person and online instruction to cut class sizes and spread students out.

Middle schools and high schools around the state would pick from Plan A, Plan B or a blend of both under the deal. The difference is based on ages: Older students are thought to transmit the virus that causes COVID-19 more easily than younger children.

All grades still have to provide parents with an online-only option.

https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/governor-lawmakers-reach-deal-to-reopen-nc-schools-amid-pandemic/19568052/

Our school board members in Cumberland County should proceed with this plan immediately. They won’t, but they should. Other large counties, like Wake, sent their kids back in February. Instead, the Cumberland School Board will wait until the last possible moment under the law to get our kids in school full-time. It’s looking like April for us, and it’s a lesson that power and control, once acquired, are difficult to give up.

Regardless, this is good stuff.

Hug your children today.

Executive Power Shrinks with Covid Cases

February 18, 2021 By in NC Politics, US Politics 1 Comment

Our constitutional framework gives a great deal of power to the executive branches of our state and federal governments in times of emergency. We gladly handed over control to our fearless leaders when we were afraid last Spring. They’ve kept it since then. Now, a year later, some across the country want to take it back.

When an emergency ends, it’s only reasonable that governors should relinquish some control, or at least give it to the people’s representatives in the legislative branch.

Power, however, is not easily relinquished.

Image result for emperor palpatine

Watch any Star Wars movie for a quick lesson on the dangers of emergency executive control.

In the meantime, here’s what’s happening in 2021:

In N.Y., Cuomo is Being Neutered by His Own Party

Democrats in New York are upset with Governor Cuomo. They are attempting to limit his emergency powers, as we speak.

On Wednesday, State Senator Gustavo Rivera, a Democrat and chairman of the health committee, said it was now time for action. “We need to remind them that state government is not one big branch: There’s three of them,” he said.

Cuomo literally wrote a book on his covid performance.

Image result for cuomo covid book

Apparently, the people of New York don’t want anymore “leadership lessons.”

In N.C., Cooper Wants More Time

This week, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a bill to force open public schools. Governor Cooper said he supported reopening, but he didn’t do anything to actually open schools, leaving the decision to local schoolboards. This guaranteed gridlock, status quo, and frustration for parents and students.

Cooper came out against the new bill, wanting to hold onto the emergency power he was afraid to “execute” himself.

Local Democrats Billy Richardson, Kirk deViere, and Ben Clark voted for the bill, against Cooper’s wishes.

The only remaining question is whether Cooper will veto. As of today, he hasn’t decided what he’ll do. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

“Before taking action on the bill I have on my desk…”

That’s a ridiculous statement considering the crisis we’re in. Our kids deserve some action, Governor Cooper, one way or another.

If Cooper does veto the bill, he will likely be overridden. Unless something drastic happens, N.C. schools should all be open in March. It’s about damn time.

What it Means

These two Democratic Governors have higher office in mind, and they have been angling through the crisis to be a future V.P. or Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party.

Cooper didn’t write a book about it, but he would often brag about how N.C. was “doing better” than other states in the region. Now, we’re not doing better. It’s all about the same, wherever you go, regardless of restrictions and regardless of whether schools are open.

In the end, we’re left with two governors who tried to turn their covid performance into a political springboard.

Image result for diving board break gif

Tough break for them.

Good break for freedom.

Cooper’s Tired Tap Dance

February 2, 2021 By in NC Politics Leave a comment

This morning, Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly introduced a bill that requires all public school systems to provide at least some form of in-person instruction.

Click Here to Read Senate Bill 37

Here’s the key language:

Local boards of education shall provide the option of in-person instruction under Plan A (Minimal Social Distancing) or Plan B (Moderate Social Distancing) for all other students enrolled in grades kindergarten through 12 in that unit. It shall be in the discretion of the local board whether in-person instruction shall be provided under Plan A (Minimal Social Distancing), Plan B (Moderate Social Distancing), or both Plans as necessary to address the needs of different school. Local boards of education shall continue to provide remote instruction options for students to elect to participate in, at the discretion of the parent or guardian, for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.

Note that you can still keep your kids at home, if you choose to. It’s up to the family, not the government.

Something else happened today:

Governor Cooper and Mandy Cohen actually recommended that schools re-open. This is a first. The timing is not a coincidence.

“It’s time to get students back into the classroom,” Gov. Roy Cooper said.

Well, then get them back in the classroom. You can do it with the stroke of a pen, Mr. Governor.

Instead, Cooper will continue his tap dance:

“I don’t think that’s the way to go,” Cooper said of the bill Tuesday. “I think the way to go is to get our local school boards to take this action. … They have to make some very tough decisions on the ground.”

I’m having trouble with his logic. Cooper shut down the schools. He can open them back up. Why force local boards to carry your political baggage for you?

What it Means

Roy Cooper has flown the banner of “public education” his entire political career. If he honestly believes in his heart that it is safe for kids to be in school, then he should do something about it.

On that note, if our “fearless leader” believes that it’s safe for kids to be in school, then she should do something about it.

I’ve got a suggestion. Instead of giving another press conference, try swinging by a school board meeting in Cumberland County (you can do it virtually) and educating our members about the science you love to tout when it supports closures, but not so much when it justifies getting things back open.

Instead Cooper and Cohen want to make everyone happy, simultaneously.

It’s a ridiculous dance, and it won’t work.

It never does.

Same Old Variants

January 26, 2021 By in NC Politics, US Politics 1 Comment

We currently have vaccines that are 95% effective against Covid-19 infection. They are being distributed to the most vulnerable in our society at a fairly decent clip. Hospitalizations are down across the country.

The sting is wearing off. People are starting to see an end to this bleak winter.

The media doesn’t like that. It doesn’t sell. So this week, the scary new buzzword is “variants.” Today’s story on CNN:

Did you need an excuse to stay in your house for the rest of 2021? Maybe you wanted to give the NCAE more ammunition to keep public schools shut down as cases continue to decline into the Spring? You couldn’t ask for a better boogie man than “variants.”

Sometimes, it’s like living in a commercial for the sale of fear:

“Today, we’re reporting on new and improved strains Covid-19, from exotic locales like Brazil and South Africa. These are far more deadly and contagious than tired, old American Covid. Better to avoid all everyday activities for the foreseeable future.”

I’m not falling for this one. Old and weak people are protected. That’s good enough for me.

The rest of us need to take some reasonable risks and move ourselves, our families, and our Nation forward.

What kind of world do you want to live in? Your answer to that question has a lot to do with the result.