Issue 8 Fails, Issue 9 Passes
Keep Public Utilities Public!
Issue 8 - City of Akron - Proposed Charter Amendment
(WITH 153 OF 153 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,661 62.56
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,320 37.44
Let the People Decide!
Issue 9 - City of Akron - Proposed Charter Amendment
(WITH 153 OF 153 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 52,484 66.84
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,035 33.16
Congratulations for all your hard work for so many months in the face of unprecedented opposition!
And thank you! Everyone contributed in one, several, or many of the following ways! Thank you for...
...showing up to the original showings of the film Thirst which launched the whole grassroots campaign
...helping start Citizens to Save Our Sewers and Water
...circulating fliers about our petition campaign to your neighbors and friends
...attending the forum at the Akron Laborer’s hall featuring Jon Keesecker of Food and Water Watch and Michael McDonald from Stockton, California who spoke in detail of the problems of privatization
...petitioning all over Akron to get our initiative on the ballot
...resubmitting our petitions when we were told the affidavit had to be on a separate piece of paper
...contacting city councilpersons
...attending the special meeting of Akron city council to place our initiative on the ballot...and pressuring city council by your presence not to place an additional 4 measures on the ballot only to confuse voters
...researching facts about privatization/corporatization of public utilities
...helping develop our strategic campaign against Issue 8 and for Issue 9
...helping organize several neighborhood public meetings
...attending debates, discussions and forums organized by other people and groups
...writing letters to the editor
...calling in to talk shows
...making phone calls
...canvassing neighborhoods with our literature
...putting up yard signs
...donating money to the campaign
...handing out literature at the early voting center
...telling your friends, family, co-workers, fellow students, neighbors, and others to “HATE 8 BUT 9 IS FINE!”
...supporting each other.
We didn’t have the support from the Beacon Journal, big companies, the Akron School Board, or many known “leaders” of Akron.
We didn’t have Ronald McDonald. We didn’t have LeBron. We didn’t have the blimp.
What we lacked in symbolic icons we made up for in commitment and determination to keep public utilities public and letting the people decide. We had each other. We had the support of Akron voters.
You are leaders.
Thank you for your leadership!
9 REASONS WHY 9 IS FINE AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE AFSC Positions on Akron Issues 8 and 9
Akron-area McDonald’s are aggressively supporting Issue 8, due, no doubt, to the close connections between the Mayor and the head of Akron franchise license. The chain not only has Issue 8 signs on all their properties, but are now placing issue 8 fliers in all Happy Meals and other orders AND now have a recording of the Mayor touting Issue 8 aired over the inner-com prior to the placement of drive-through orders!
In response to the close ties between Ronald McDonald and the Mayor, the Tri-County Labor Council, AFL-CIO, has called for a boycott of all Akron-area McDonald’s through Election Day.
Show your solidarity with those who oppose Issue 8 — go eat elsewhere!
Response to Beacon Journal in Opposition to Issue 9
The Beacon Journal today came out in opposition to Issue 9. It was an oddly worded piece — very unclear what point(s) they were actually trying to make.
Issue 9 would simply let the people directly decide whether any public utility should be handed over to a business corporation. Without Issue 9, the Mayor and City Council retain the exclusive power to made such decisions. Without the threat of passage of Issue 9, the Mayor would have never put Issue 8 on the ballot. His so-called "scholarship" plan (actually more like a loan to those who don't stay in Akron for 3 decades) would go directly to council where it would likely pass. Direct democracy is what's needed when hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. Isn't the possible loss of public control of public utilities worth a direct vote of citizens? Aren't citizens ultimately in charge of government? Remember "We the People" or is that simply a slogan learned in school without any reality? Without Issue 9, there is no process that promotes genuine "robust" debate since the Mayor and Council hold all the political cards. Vote YES on Issue 9!
Feel free to use any of the above ideas in writing a letter to the editor. The Beacon needs to hear from us!
ps. WNIR (100.1) FM has been talking about Issues 8 and 9 a good deal over the last 2 days. The calls and commentary are heavily in opposition to Issue 8 and in support of Issue 9.
Citizen Initiative Requires Voter Approval Before Sale of Akron Sewer, Utilities
A coalition of citizens, labor, faith, and community organizers have formed Citizens' SOS (Save Our Sewer and Water) to prevent the sale of any Akron utility without voter approval.
A petition initiative to change the Akron Charter would require any sale, lease, etc. of any Akron utility be decided by the citizens of Akron. The group will gather the required signatures of Akron
registered voters to place the charter amendment on the November ballot, beginning May 3rd and will continue throughout the summer.
Several community meetings and showings of the movie Thirst (a documentary about privatization of utilities) have attracted hundreds of people expressing interest in keeping the control of
Akron utilities in the hands of it's citizens.Citizens' SOS was formed as a result.
Those interested in signing or circulating petitions,
endorsing the initiative, or to learn more are encouraged to contact: CitizensSOS@gmail.com or gcoleridge@afsc.org for more information.
SALE, LEASE, OR TRANSFER OF CITY UTILITIES
Any action by the Council or Mayor of the City of Akron to sell, transfer, or lease any part of any interest in any City owned utility shall be without force and effect unless and until it is approved by a majority of votes cast by the electors of the City of Akron at the next general election occurring at least 90 days after such action.
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