Charter Amendments Council Meeting Next Week, Not This Week
Jun 04, 2024 3:28 am
NEXT WEEK, NOT THIS WEEK, IS THE VERY IMPORTANT COUNTY MEETING
1 PM WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 2024: County Hearing On Charter Amendments
Next week, Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, at 1 PM, will be the hearing where the County Council will decide whether to move the proposed Charter Amendments to a full hearing later this month. One of these amendments aims to ADD further restrictions to our initiative process by expanding the powers of the Prosecuting Attorney's office to prevent future initiatives, thereby limiting the free speech of citizens.
These new powers would allow the PA's office to screen proposed initiatives similarly to how they tried to stop the Restore Election Confidence initiative. Plainly put, if this is allowed, only State-approved or sanctioned proposed initiatives will be allowed in Clark County. Currently, the legal review is confined by the following six limitations:
- Ordinances providing for compensation or working conditions of county employees or elected officials.
- Redistricting council districts.
- Authorizing or repealing an appropriation of money or any portion of the annual budget.
- Authorizing or repealing taxes or fees.
- Authorizing or repealing any provision of a service or program provided by the county.
- Amending or repealing this charter.
The PA's office reviewed the REC Initiative and determined that the subject was legal within the scope of local initiative powers and did not violate the above six restrictions.
But that wasn't good enough for Greg Kimsey. After the PA's office dismissed his claims that the REC violated the current limitations, he decided to change the Charter to ensure the people could never again try to reform election procedures in Clark County.
That's why Kimsey has put forward a Charter Amendment that would allow the Prosecuting Attorney's office to go beyond these limitations and stop any initiative they don't like by merely decreeing it to be illegal. As you remember, this is what the PA's office tried with the REC initiative back in December. I filed a Writ of Mandamus, and they reversed themselves because they were blatantly not following the law.
I haven't seen the latest version, but if this moves forward, it will no doubt expand the powers of the government and further take away the people's right to petition for direct governance as granted by the State Constitution.
More information will be coming, but for now, please plan to attend the 1 PM meeting on Wednesday, June 12th, at the County Public Services Building. Your presence is crucial in demonstrating our commitment to preserving our rights.
I'll post meeting information later this week...
