Council Meeting About Ward Maps - Wednesday, July 23

[cc4]

I welcome and admire some of the young ones who are willing to "pick up the torch."  As I am tiring of

"fighting city hall,"  I look at the next generation as reinforcements.  Maybe some on this forum should get

to know these young people and learn of their motivations instead of being so critical of their efforts across

the board.

[Towntalk]

As for Gillam vs. the City Law Director and the U. S. Supreme Court all this shows is she is totally incompitant ... a loud mouth that doesn't know what she's talking about.

[Towntalk]

What law, state or federal dictates the number of wards a city can have based on anything or any measure?

[AllanY2525]

I like Rick's idea, for all of the same reasons he already mentioned.  It's just stupid to see
council being so blatantly self-serving with all of their bull sh%&.....the salaries for the
unneeded council positions could go back into the city's coffers.

One thing is for sure, Youngstown has too many freaking wards for their population
and it is clearly in violation of the laws governing such.  As for Gillam's wanting to
debate or argue with the city's law director it will be interesting to see how that goes.

[iwasthere]

let us see what happens with this topic after november.

[Towntalk]

THESE WET BEHIND THE EARS SLUGS NEED TO GET REAL WORLD JOBS, AND GET THEIR NOSES OUT OF POLITICS!

[jay]

It's the younger residents of our city (the next generation of leaders) who are pushing this issue.

[Towntalk]

THIS IS EXACTLT WHY WE MUST ABSOLUTELY OPPOSE ALL 5 WARD DRIVES!

[iwasthere]

last night  meeting was more than a dog and pony show. it was a three ring circus. Gilliam and rogers were worried abt the prisoners in their wards not being represented. I would like to know when the last time they attended a cell block, block watch meeting at the pens that are in their wards. Gilliam went on record saying the current law director could be wrong on his redistricting interputation when he cited U.S. SUPREME CT RULINGS ON REDISTRICTING. Gilliam made a total arse of herself at last night meeting with her questions and comments.

[Towntalk]

IMAGE

[Rick Rowlands]

Go back to that latest news video and freeze it at 1:02.  Here is an example of the insanity of this process.  Is that Annie Gilliam's house there?  Look how the lines have to be stretched way up there to grab it and put it in the first ward.  Does that neighborhood have anything in common with downtown?  Buy I am sure that neighborhood has a lot in common with those living on the other side of Lansdowne. 

[Rick Rowlands]

I actually love that idea.  The city naturally is split into five geographic areas and it makes perfect sense to have those areas as five permanent wards and forever rid us of the need for redistricting.  It is illegal because of some law that states that the wards must have equal population ,but that doesn't make much sense to me.  What really would it matter if one ward had a few more people than the other? Each of these five areas have unique needs that are better served by taking a geographic approach rather than a population approach.  For example, North side is dominated by an historic district.  East side is largely undeveloped, West side is somewhat stable and still heavily populated, and south side has two commercial districts and some crime problems.  And then downtown is, well, downtown.   Each has its own unique set of challenges and characteristics.

I think its time that we start seeing the city as five sections instead of gerrymandering lines just to grab a few residents here and there to meet some quota.

[Peggy Gurney]

The wards are being redistricted to even out the population in each ward.
It doesn't matter, and should not matter, how much land or mileage each ward covers.

[Towntalk]

This is what these blame fools want for Youngstown.

[Peggy Gurney]

This petition drive was not contrived by a malcontent.  Phil Kidd and Chris Travers are at the helm on this, and TT we will have to agree to disagree.
I am 100,000,000,000,000% FOR this one.


IMO the number of wards needs to be reduced to 5. Youngstown does not have the population it used to have, so there's no need to support 7 councilpersons.