TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! CHASTAIN: KANSAS CITY GOVERNMENT VIOLATES CHARTER BY STRIKING DOWN VOTER PETITIONS!!!
Behind the scenes, Clay Chastain is arguing with Dead Tree Media publishers about his latest missive. They stall him with talk of a "backlog" and he accuses them of having an agenda.
In the meantime, read the latest from Clay regarding PETITION PERIL CONFRONTED BY KANSAS CITY thanks to Mayor & Council. . . Checkit:
Clay Chastain's Latest Column
Kansas City’s government has become a graveyard for petitions. As of late, no petition is safe. The city will find a reason not to place them before voters.
This kind of strong-arm control alienates the people against their government resulting in a far more destructive consequence than the outcome of any petition election.
At present, rationalizations abound for why the city council should not place the convention hotel petition before voters. These opinions and concerns are irrelevant in determining whether a petition election is held.
The city’s charter clearly states that the city “shall” place on the ballot any petition certified as sufficient of signatures by the city clerk. The word shall, as in the Ten Commandments, is not an open-ended equivocal directive. Rather, in this case, connotes a firm administrative order! That is the law. No questions raised.
The same charter gives the city the right to question an initiative petition’s legality, practicality, and constitutionality AFTER it is approved by voters. The charter says the city can amend or even repeal any voter-approved initiative ordinance. But, the charter does not give the city the right to block a vote on a valid petition for any reason!
To invoke further sympathy, the city also complains that the frequency and content of the petitions (recently submitted to the city) is creating a governing mess and thus disrupting elected officials from moving the city forward.
There is some truth to that.
However, Kansas City’s government has invited these petition challenges and thus brought this governing crisis on itself. For instance…
1. The airport petition represented a grievance against a government moving behind the scenes to do away with our popular airport and replace it with a less convenient one without any public debate or vote.
2. The convention hotel petition represents a grievance against a government that brokered a backroom sweetheart deal committing over $150 million in public subsidy to an unnamed hotel developer without public debate or vote.
3. The current light rail petition (I am circulating) represents a grievance against a government that not only blocked and then sabotaged a vote on the last light rail petition (while the government finagled its streetcar plan into effect), but also overturned a voter-approved light rail petition in 2007!
Our founding fathers theorized that even democratic-oriented governments could get out of control. Thus, they generally acknowledged the people’s right to petition their government for “a redress of grievances.” (See the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution)
Kansas City’s government is not only out of control and ignoring petition law in the City Charter, but is also undermining a constitutional safeguard.
Petitions are engineered and signed by citizens who sincerely care about their communities well being. For that reason alone, Kansas City’s government should respect them, not bury them.
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Sly has never respected the voters or the charter. Why should he start now?
ReplyDeleteLet's all pay homage to the man, Sylvester Sly James, who has single-handedly destroyed whatever pathetic semblance of fiscal responsibility that remained in Kansas City.
ReplyDeleteThe more I read from this Clay guy, the more I like him. I don't know if it was propaganda or what, I had an initial distaste for the man. But petitioning your govenment for redress is the most important part of the republic. Without it the people are forced to resort to violence. See the middle east. The local government has made it clear they will only respond to violence. And that is a dangerous precedent. It is not good for the city, peace and stability are more important than an airport, hotel, streetcar.
ReplyDeleteViolence is the only moral recourse when citizens are confronted by 100% corrupt, Inverted-totalitarian, police-state, government, as in the United States!
DeleteHow would someone go about getting in contact with Mr. Chastain? Email or phone number would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteblond_watermelon@gmail.com
DeleteWhile not a big fan of Clay on the Play......he keeps the Mayors feet to the fire and that deserves some credit. More should hold that Bow Tie nigger responsible for his law breaking administration. But now. Just keep bitching about a fucking Toy Train and a dead transexual found with a King Kong dildo buried in his asspussy.
ReplyDeleteClay > Sly
ReplyDelete5:21, just cruise the hotel bars downtown or at Crown Center. you'll find him.
ReplyDeleteIf you're a good looking woman, he'll find you.
Sure 7:05 / 5:21 one and the same ... "SLY" try.
DeleteIf they've violated the constitution, take them to court, among other actions!
ReplyDelete"Justice or else", right three puppies?
ReplyDeleteThe validity of a convention hotel is now irrelevant. For good or ill, a petition drive has forced the matter to a public vote. There is no middle ground here. Failure to put it to a public vote is grounds for recall. And that process should begin immediately.
ReplyDelete