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Issue 5 PR
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CLEVELAND, OH -- Standing in front of the Carl B. Stokes Federal Courthouse in Downtown Cleveland on Thursday, former Congressman Louis Stokes and former Congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar gave their support for Issue 5, while raising serious concerns about the many flaws in the Issue 6 charter proposal.
Congresswoman Oakar voiced her concerns that Issue 6 gives exclusive and unlimited power to one County Executive with no real checks and balances. “The elected eleven member council, in many cases, must have at least eight out of eleven votes to override the County Executive’s exclusive actions…73% to override the County Executive…Even the Congress of the United States only has to have 66% or 2/3 to override a President’s veto.”
Drawing on his experience as the former Chair of the Congressional Ethics Committee, Congressman Stokes urged voters to allow duly elected members of a County Charter Commission, proposed by Issue 5, to present to the voters the most efficient and accountable alternative form of County Government and to reject Issue 6.
Said Congressman Stokes, “What I am opposed to is people who arrogate themselves the power behind closed doors, draft legislation without inclusion of diverse leaders in the community, without hearings on the legislation, and then promote it as good government. It is not in keeping with the basic tenets of a democracy.” He continued, “This type of arrogance is not new. It is the kind of arrogance and disrespect of the public that has caused voters to reject similar proposals in past elections.”
Created behind closed doors, the Issue 6 reform proposal will foster corruption by giving the County Executive virtually unchecked power. Issue 6 would hamstring its own proposed council by limiting
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