The Voice of the People is Missing

With remarkable consistency, The Everett City Council speaks with one voice.  All too often, it is the voice of the developers and the downtown business community.  The people of working class/blue collar Everett deserve a voice too.

Jackie Minchew wants to be that voice 

Many good people in the City of Everett have grown so disenchanted with “politics as usual” that they have simply opted out.  The status quo just isn’t doing it for them.  A central goal of Jackie’s campaign will be to find these people and persuade them to re-engage in the process.  With increased citizen participation, we can stand the status quo on its head.

Jackie proposes increasing evening meetings to two per month.  This will make it easier for those who work day jobs to have their voices heard.  In addition, the City should more aggressively reach out to solicit citizen input and participation.  In this age of cell phones, text messages and emails, there is no reason that every interested citizen shouldn’t receive frequent, automatic updates on meeting dates, times and locations as well as issues under consideration, if they so choose.  (A few lines on the inside pages of the Herald simply isn’t enough any more.)

At the present time, 70% of Everett’s City Council Members live north of Hewitt Ave and west of Colby Ave, essentially all in the same neighborhood.  This is made possible by the current “At-Large” system in which every citizen votes in every race, without regard to where the candidates live.  Since 1981, there have been no City Council members elected from Everett neighborhoods south of Hwy 526 and only two from south of Madison St.  Is it any wonder that those who live on the south end feel disconnected from City Hall?

Districted Elections

Jackie proposes to remedy this imbalance by dividing the City into quadrants.  Each quadrant would elect a resident to represent their neighborhoods on the City Council.  This would leave three positions to be elected under the current “At-Large” system.  Jackie testified before the Everett Charter Review Commission last year, along with two other Everett citizens, in favor of some version of this proposal being placed on the ballot for the voter’s consideration.  Not surprisingly, those on the commission, all but one representing the downtown power structure, rejected the proposal by a huge margin.

If we want our voices heard, we must show up and speak up.  We must get off our seat and on our feet.  We must elect a City Councilman who will hear our voice and represent us in the chambers of city government.

Jackie Minchew is that man!

Jackie wants to hear your voice.  Email him at Jackie4Everett@aol.com.