Ward Reduction Charter Amendment Literature

[Peggy Gurney]

Why are they now Youngstown neighborhoods?  What happened?

[Towntalk]

Three of the better districts of the south east side of town were originally a part of Boardman Township. Has the time come for the property owners in those areas to push to have these areas returned to Boardman?
COTTAGE GROVE ---- PLEASENT GROVE ---- BROWNLEE WOODS

[Towntalk]

For those who know nothing about the 2010 Plan, here is the link to the final report.
http://www.cityofyoungstownoh.com/about_youngstown/youngstown_2010/plan/plan.aspx

[Peggy Gurney]

Is this not part of 2010 plan that council and the former mayor jay williams endorsed, smaller city and a lean government.

Yes

[iwasthere]

Is this not part of 2010 plan that council and the former mayor jay williams endorsed, smaller city and a lean government.

[Peggy Gurney]

This is also missed in the arguments by the negative people.

If the population of Youngstown increases to 80,000 or more, the city would return to seven wards.

After the next census, yes.  But they conveniently overlook these things.

IMO, all of this is being stirred up by the same ol' band of trouble-makers.
Every. time.

[jay]

This is also missed in the arguments by the negative people.

If the population of Youngstown increases to 80,000 or more, the city would return to seven wards.

[Towntalk]

PREDICTION:
If this charter amendment passes and Youngstown is reduced to 5 wards, there will be those who will demand a Justice Department probe, and a civil rights case brought into Federal Court.

[AllanY2525]

Are "discretionary funds" made available on a set dollar amount per ward?  Or is there
an annual fund which is divvied up evenly amongst the wards like an annual budget?

I'm trying to understand how a ward reduction would affect these funds.....?

ALL council members should look out for ALL citizens in their wards, regardless of
their ethnicity or that of their constituents.....what the hell does race have to do with
any of this ?!?!?!?

The rest is complete and utter BULLSH*T.

[Peggy Gurney]

It seems to me that issues, such as this one, that are NOT race related, are made to be race-related, by the very people who howl against racist remarks/actions.


Reducing wards has NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH RACE, and everything to do with making sure that the population in each ward - whether black, white, yellow, purple, or neon striped - is as fairly represented as is humanly possible.

HOW IS THAT RACIST?    


SOMEONE please make me understand this, because I am really and truly at a loss.........

[Towntalk]

What these people can't get through their thick heads is the fact that this city is in a whole lot of trouble ... deep and serious trouble that goes far beyond race. Or does it. Crime ... drugs ... a deteriorating infrastructure ... a school system that is on its last legs ... a major unemployment problem ... two major war zones - the 2nd and 6th wards ... a rapidly growing senior citizen population that is a drain on the city's finances ... ditto welfare cases. I'm sure that with a little reasoned thought more problems can be added to this list.

[Peggy Gurney]

Exactly what she ^ said.


Further, HOW does reducing the number of wards remove the power from city council and place it in the mayors hands to decide how the wards will be divided??


The mayor would be involved ONLY if city council fails to to do their job.
Then, and only then, would it fall to the mayor to do what they were supposed to do.

[Towntalk]

WHAT A CROCK!
The fact of the matter IS that there could be 4 Black Council Persons just as easily as the opposite, and the White community would be shut out.

[jay]

Some of the highlighted phrases from the Vote No flier.

Why VOTE NO
Reducing the number of wards from seven to five threatens the rights of African Americans and minorities to have fair representation in city council.

It unfairly takes power away from city council, where African Americans and minorities have a significant voice, and places it in the hands of the mayor to decide how wards will be divided.

African Americans and minority neighborhoods will lose resources because fewer wards would mean less availability of city council discretionary funds for community based projects and activities.

Reduction of wards will dilute the strength of the African American and minority vote.

[jay]

My friend said the anti-ward reduction folks had literature at the New Bethel Candidates' Forum.

The pro-ward reduction group did not have any printed materials.