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| Youngstown City Hall Photo By: City of Youngstown |
Issue 7 is a charter amendment that addresses ward size and redistricting in the city.
Based on a similar model in Cleveland, the amendment would base wards on population while also creating a clear timeline for redistricting.
You can read the amendment language for yourself here. However, below are 5 good reasons why you should vote YES on Issue 7:
1. Efficiency
When Youngstown’s charter was adopted in 1923, it divided the city into seven wards - but with no reason as to why. Obviously, things have changed over the past 80 years.
At the time, the city's population was nearing a peak of 170,000. Since then, the population has dropped to around 65,000 - a loss of over 60%.
Issue 7 will base the number of wards on population moving forward. When the population reaches or exceeds 80,000, the city will have 7 wards; when the population is less than 80,000, the city will have 5. This leaves flexibility while also creating some rationale as to the number of wards we should have.
If Issue 7 passes, Youngstown would move to a 5 ward system starting in 2016. That's approximately 13,000 per councilperson. Council once represented 24,000 per ward and at least one councilperson currently represents 12,000 residents.
Every other area of city government in Youngstown has had to adjust to the changing times over the decades. Even voting precincts are being reduced.
The only exception has been City Council. And reducing council by only two seats - with an option to return to 7 if the population increases - is more than reasonable.
An additional consideration: if the city had gained over 60% population over the same period of time, it's likely that we would have considered adding seats at some point. So, why shouldn't the reverse be true?
2. Savings
As mentioned above, Issue 7 will reduce City Council seats from seven to five given the city’s current population. This reduction would save the city nearly $350,000+ over every four-year term. These are tax dollars that can be saved or spent on other personnel, programs or services for residents.
Additionally, the city will be facing annual deficit challenges for the foreseeable future. In fact, it's facing a projected $2+ million deficit in 2016 alone. As one councilperson in support of Issue 7 stated:
“It’s a savings. It’s a different Youngstown and we need to operate differently. Council needs to lead by example when it comes to saving money. It’s not the easy thing to do, but it’s necessary.”3. Fairness & Accountability
Until recently, the city had not redistricted its wards for over 30 years. This had left some wards greatly unequal in population.It also meant that representation had become greatly unequal as well...which is unconstitutional.
One of the reasons this happened was because there has never been a clear mandate in the charter as to when to redistrict.
Issue 7 will mandate that redistricting be completed no less than 120 days after each U.S. Census. And if city council should fail to do so within that time period, the Mayor will then be authorized to do so within 90 days after that.
This will ensure that redistricting is done in a timely manner in the future.
4. Loss Of Representation?
Some in the African-American community suggest that should Issue 7 pass, African-Americans 'would never maintain a majority in city council again.' Ever.
The fact of the matter is that the population between whites and blacks in Youngstown has never been more equal than it is today. And trends suggest that the African-American (and Hispanic) population will continue to increase in the years to come.
In recent years, the city has elected an African-American mayor, a judge, Clerk of Courts and currently has an African-American majority City Council.
With those facts and accomplishments in mind plus council races in 2015 and looming debt issues in the future, now is the best and most fair time to have a vote on an efficient government issue such as this one.
And when it comes to drawing new ward boundaries, one should keep in mind that the current city council (again, majority African-American) would have to draw them. So, one would presume that an African-American majority would want to be maintained.
Finally, while it may be statistically true that African-Americans vote in lower numbers than whites in Youngstown, keeping seats or other such positions in a drastically shrinking and financially challenged city in order to maintain or increase representation is not a solution to that issue. That's just inefficient government.
Working to increase voter turnout is the solution and one we should all strive to improve upon regardless of color or creed.
5. Sustaining Momentum
Last but certainly not least, Issue 7 is important to sustaining momentum in the world of citizen-led initiatives in Youngstown. Such campaigns are rare because they are volunteer-led and often difficult to organize and win. Plus, most folks shy away from political issues in general because they can be confrontational.
So, while this campaign is about good government, it is also very much about making a statement regarding support for the grassroots community. If Issue 7 is defeated, it could have a detrimental effect on similar campaigns in the future.
We'll close with a quote from The Vindicator who might have summed up the situation best when they issued a strong endorsement of Issue 7 this past week in an editorial:
"There’s no justification to cling to a legislative branch that was designed to serve a community of more than 100,000 people. Today’s population is in the mid-60,000 range and is dropping.
Reducing the number of wards by two will not be a hardship on the lawmakers, nor will it deprive city residents of services they expect from government.
A shrinking, financially-challenged city cannot afford the status quo."
If you agree, then vote YES on Issue 7...and spread the word!
