Changing government creates accountability
The anti-charter forces tell us that our commission form of government has always looked at the need for new procedures and investments. Always. Our commission form of government rarely acts unless there is an outpouring of citizen outrage or an emergency which cannot be ignored. Consider the development proposals at exit 14 (Yaddo) and exit 15 (Home Depot), recent water issues, sewage breakdowns, lost tax revenues through giveaways, the lack of public emergency plans, or the non-implementation of significant requirements of the existing charter, such as a Human Resources Office.
Unfortunately, our commission form of government is a hold-over from a machine era that put politics first and efficient operations of government last.
There is a serious lack of system-wide procedures and personnel practices, which cost taxpayers because we cannot make maximum use of our existing workforce. The new charter corrects these deficiencies.
Contrary to the claims of anti-charter change forces, we don’t want “politics” to disappear. It is, after all, at the heart of our system of self-government. Politics has its place and needs to play its appropriate role, not in execution of day to day routine city operations, but in a vigorous legislative body that sets policies, provides oversight and represents all of us. Such an expanded legislative body (City Council) can hold any manager to account. The manager must fulfill the requirements set by the City Council and the voters, not the other way around.
Finally, fellow Saratogians, ponder this, is there any reputable private company or public entity today that would willingly split up its executive function into five competing and separate entities (think GE, hospitals or even Chambers of Commerce)? Under our current system no one is in control, and it works only through trades and political deal-making. We need to change this dysfunction, and it is worth whatever risks are imagined. Vote yes if you want a cost-effective, workable and accountable local government. It is within our grasp -- vote yes on the proposed charter. Holly Schwarz-Lawton
Saratoga Springs