NOVEMBER BALLOT INITIATIVE MANIA

     June 7, 2005

     SULLIVAN FOR MAYOR  CITY OF ALBANY, N.Y. 2005

              SULLIVAN CALLS FOR NOVEMBER BALLOT

              QUESTIONS TO FIX FAILING CITY SCHOOLS

Joseph P Sullivan (R) applauds the emergence of participatory democracy in Albany, supported by 8 Common Council Members, as reported in the Times Union (Effort to weaken mayoral power.. June 7. 2005 pB7, by Brian Nearing).

Sullivan said the Common Council move supporting a November ballot initiative to amend the city charter to provide for a shift in power from the Mayor to the Common Council, has opened the door to November Ballot Initiative Mania.

Participatory democracy can be a fine thing, if the public is fully informed, said Sullivan. Full and fair reporting of all sides of ballot initiative questions, by the media, is an essential prerequisite for participatory democracy to work.

Sullivan challenges the Common Council to place questions on the November ballot aimed at fixing the failing city schools. The ballot questions proposed by Sullivan are:

Q1  Should Albany return to a K-8 neighborhood school system?

Q2  Shall the Albany City School District and School Board be disbanded and responsibility and accountability for the city schools vested with the Mayor and Common Council?

Q3  Shall city school budget votes be held in conjunction with November elections, with binding results? (No Reruns)

Q4  Shall the funding of city schools be shifted from the property to sales/income taxes, so that all pay their fair share of support for city schools?

The Albany Common Council should take the lead in fixing the failing city schools, by immediately adopting and forwarding a Home Rule Request to the NYS Legislature, for action before the current legislative session ends, said Sullivan.

But, will the Common Council act? They will, if their embrace of participatory democracy is genuine, Sullivan said.

If the Common Council fails to act, Sullivan said he will commence a petitioning effort to have the school questions placed on the November ballot.