According to a report by WALLACE McKELVEY of the Press of Atlantic City, a petition that would have brought a proposal to change the city’s form of government before voters this November is invalid, city officials determined Wednesday.
The petitioners failed to properly word the petition question, to provide affidavits from circulators attached to the signatures and to obtain the necessary 1,415 signatures, a memo signed by City Clerk Lynn Sweeney states.
The petition, submitted to Sweeney’s office earlier this month, called for a referendum to revert the city to a three-member commission form of government, in which elected officials would oversee individual departments.
A similar movement in 1989 led to the city abandoning that form for the manager and seven-member council it currently has.
“There are too many people who want to see this move forward for us to throw our hands up,” said Frank Koch, president of Respectable Government.
Sweeney, in an interview Wednesday, said the group has 10 days to resubmit its petition materials.
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It is highly unprofessional for Coucilman DeLucry to involve himself in this process of independently reviewing the petition. He has a bias and it is the responsibility of the City Clerk to verify the petition not a council person who happens to be an attorney.
Is this a violation of State Ethics? Or is this just more intimidation. At what point did he review the petition and was he the person who initiated having people remove their name from the petition. How did they know who to contact to have voters remove their name.The opposition spent a lot of money attempting to get citizens to remove their name. Their efforts were in vane. There were a mere handful. Where does the Taxpayers Association obtain the money to run full page ads each week? There are very few members and a smoke screen for the opposition. Mrs Phillips suggest that changing the form of government would allow for more corruption. Really?
Strong and honest elected officials regardless of the form of government should be accountable to the taxpayers regardless of affiliation. The council people are accountable to all taxpayers and citizens of the City, not only those who put you in office. The tides can change at any time.