Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 303

Sund. Juac 27. I9W I kt Arizona Krpublk 3 GDDD 0 Avwur Editorial Page Editor. ITiil Boas (602) 444-7987 iHwi'i i ry i i in fi ariM- DO Mesa City Charter needs updating THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Incorporating The Phoenix Gazette 200 E. Van Buren, Phoenix AZ 85004 Founded in 1890 Phoenix Newspapers Inc.

How to amend the City Charter Mesa's City Charter outlines the method that must be used to change it: "(An) initiative petition must be signed by the qualified electors of the City equal in number to at least 15 percent of the total votes cast for the office of Mayor at the preceding election. "If a majority of the qualified electors of the City voting upon the proposed Charter amendment vote in favor of it, the amendment shall become effective Source: Mesa City Charter. EDITORIAL: OUR VIEW Editorials represent the position of The Arizona Republic, whose editorial board consists of Keven Ann Willey, Phil Boas, Jennifer Dokes, Doug MacEachern, Joel Nilsson, Laurie Roberts, Linda Valdez, Ken Western and Steve Benson. populism, requiring a minimum number of signatures! to get a measure on the ballot Mesa's East Valley neighbors, Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe, use a system that requires petitioners, to gather signatures of 1 5 percent fof registered voters. These cities haven't seen a successful initiative drive in recent memory.

Mesa requires signatures from only 1 5 percent of the voters in the last mayoral election. Thus an initiative needs about 4,000 valid signatures in Mesa, while in Gilbert, a town one-third the size, 5,555 valid signatures are required. Statistically, virtually no public support is needed to get a measure before the voters in Mesa. The result, any crackpot can get a measure on the ballot with a modicum of effort. Most loony ballot measures fail, but that isn't the point.

They face no serious test to get on the ballot and thus end up wasting taxpayers' money and voters' time. It's what City Councilman Dennis Kavanaugh called "the fanfare of Indued, the time has come to stop setting public health policy by paranoia or tax rates by an ignorant minority. This is a Mesa that "last-year passed the first sales tax increase in decades. This is a Mesa -that knows it must provide more programs and services to attract growing businesses with good permanent jobs. That means building a' center for the arts and expanding library programs and funding more recreation opportunities for youths, from swimming pools to ball fields.

These programs and services are what quality of life is all about; they're what new residents expect from a city. The publicity associated with all these wacky initiatives may turn out to be a good thing if it drives the residents of Mesa to wake up and say, "No, we're not going to let these crackpots control our destiny." OTHER WORDS Schools are justified on zero-tolerance rule Mesa is the Valley's hot bed. I lot bed of conservatism. Mot bed of anti-smoking sentiment. And hoi bed of democracy.

With five initiatives and a City Council referendum on their way to the March 2000 general election ballot, Mesa has begun to look a lot like ancient Athens, where everyone had to vote on everything. In Mesa, these potential initiatives include propositions to stop fluoridation, rescind city sales taxes on food and rentals, require a public vote on property taxes and make the city manager an elected official. The proposed council referendum would create, finally, a city housing code. Call it government by initiative, call it the will of the people. Aristotle would have called it mob rule.

The ancient philosopher saw a democracy of too many votes as a threat to prudent, practical government. When the misinformed are allowed to drive politics, the ability to set good policy is jeopardized. In the United States, we tend to follow Aristotle's advice on mobs and leave the practicality of governing up to our elected representatives. We voters, however, have reserved the right to act by initiative an important right, but often an ill-used one. Still, Mesa, with its propensity for citizen action, seems a throwback to ancient Greece.

The initiatives Mesa voters might face do more to cement the city's reputation as a throwback, a city of the past. The Mesa City Charter, however, seems tailored to this kind of ignorant Ban smoking everywhere I am a Gilbert resident, and I would vote for no smoking everywhere. It violates my rights to protect my health. Smokers should smoke in their own homes and cars. Smoking should be a private matter and not forced on those who don't want it.

In fact, I hope Arizona follows California's example and bans smoking in all public places. Shi rice Kyno Gilbert GASP is heard Thanks lo reporter Edylhc Jensen for the good comments in the article about Gilbert's town council considering a ban on smoking in restaurants and bars. Atlanta is seeing this same fight. Like in Gilbert, the restaurant people are objecting. The Mesa group threatening to come over in force lo protest is noteworthy.

The tobacco interests rallied the Atlanta restaurant owners early and got many of them to come out against the ordinance. If I ever do gel out to Gilbert to enjoy meals in smokc-frec restaurants, I will appreciate Councilman Mike Evans' efforts, lint the em ployees arc the ones we should be more concerned about, for they arc in the smoke for 40 hours a week. They arc the ones with much heightened risk of lung cancer, heart IN the to not the EUGENE C. PULLIAM IHH9-1975 Publisher, 1946-1975 Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. II Corinthians 3:17 JOHN F.

OPPEDAHL President, Publisher, CEO LOUIS A. WEIL III Chairman PAM JOHNSON Vice PresidentNews and Executive Editor KEVEN ANN WILLEY Editor of the Editorial Panes JULIA WALLACE Managing Editor CATHY DAVIS Executive Vice President RICH COX Vice PresidentOperations and Product Management JON HELD Chief Financial Officer Drop us a line We welcome letters of up to 200 words on topics of general interest to readers in the Hast Valley. All letters are subject to editing and must include your name, address, and a daytime phone number for verification. it Letters to the Editor, East Valley, P.O. Box 2440 Phoenix, AZ 85002-2440 1 4 (602) 444-7985 or (602) 444-7978 se.letterspni.com QUOTEUNQUOTE It's a social gathering spot.

Tlxe park also keeps dogs off our 'backyards, and that makes life easier on us. Doris Roberts roberts is a homeowner living near mitchell park. the park has a dog RUN THAT DRAWS PEOPLE AND THEIR PUPS FROM ALL OVER THE VALLEY. NEIGHBORS SUPPORT THE DOG RUN BUT ITS POPULARITY HAS BROUGHT TRAFFIC, NOISE AND AIR POLLUTION. legislation by fax." The initiative process is an important one, but one that should be taken seriously.

The low standard for signatures allows half-baked ideas to make waves in a city that has outgrown its bedroom community roots. The time has come to amend the city charter, putting Mesa's initiative standard in line with the rest of the East Valley's. There's still time. -The deadline to collect 4,000 valid signatures is months away. Amending the city charter could save us from potential campaign slogans such as "Cavities: The Price of Freedom" or "Elect the Manager: Two Mayors are Better Than One." The problem goes beyond the charter.

The problem is the irresponsible politics of Mesa's old guard. "To the outside world the initiatives paint a portrait of negativity; it's no to everything," Kavanaugh said. Tom Robertson I gained from an article entitled, "Chandler unfair, tennis complex manager says." I am a Chandler resident, concerned taxpayer, marketing professional, business person and a tennis player. It has been diliicult to watch the progressive deterioration of Mr. Ilenson's tennis programs despite his all-consuming efforts to the contrary.

It doesn't take a Donald Trump-type marketing guru to figure out (hat this complex never had a chance to turn a profit without the vehicles in place to provide (he revenue stream, i.e., the clubhouse. In support of this last statement, I find it curious and disconcerting that city officials have never taken the initiative to lessen the financial burden of landscaping maintenance und street lighting, since it would not be providing the clubhouse as originally planned. In fact, I have to question the integrity and professionalism of individuals who, by their lack of initiative, would allow the degree of financial and emotional stress to come to a valued business partner as has been done to Mr. Ilenson. With all respect, gentleman, there is a young man's livelihood at stake here.

I respect fuily urge you to rectify the injustice and financial burden Mr. Ilenson has sulfered through (his partnership. There's a saying that seems quite appropriate in this situation, and thai is "Just do it." Janet E. Bigrlow 1 Chandler a if BALLOT MADNESS OR GOOD GOVERNMENT? Do you agree with us that Mesa needs to amend its City Charter to make it more difficult to get initiatives on the ballot? We want to hear your views: Write us: Letters to the editor East Valley The Arizona Republic RO. Box 2440 Phoenix, AZ 85002-2440 Fax us: (602) 444-7985 E-mail us: se.letterspni.com And now phone us: (602)444-7714 STEPHANIE ROBERTSON Special for The Republic Or what if the flammable paint in David's locker had somehow been ignited by someone who knew the rocket was there? Perhaps then it would be easier, to explain why schools have rules about weapons.

Derek and David sound like really nice kids who just erred in judgment Anyone, especially a 13-ycar-old, can make a mistake, but these kinds of mistakes can have serious consequences. fortunately, nothing worse happened. So should the administrators have turned a oimti eye to tne ooys who knowingly came to schxl with weapons, regardless of the innocent reasons? No. Its tempting to say that exceptions should be made and some common sense punishment meted out, but if the public doesn't agree with the rules on the books. they should be changed to leave the punishment up to the discretion of the principal.

Until then, as a parent and a teacher, I want the rules enforced. It's fitting to say (hat neither of these incidents would have occurred if the parents were aware of what their sons had planned. Many school problems can be averted if communication at home is belter. Instead, the schxl administrators must deal with the problems caused by students exhibiting child like judgment. liul even adults do stupid things and suffer the punishment.

Just last summer, James Brunen of Scottsdalc drove into Mexico and was thrown into jail for 47 days for smuggling guns in his trunk Hrunens cxplana- lion: He wasn't smuggling, he just ii uirgoi unoui Mexico rule about weapons. It, (tx, was a pretty harsh sentence for an oversight. Or was it? Stophanie Robertson ol ChandW la a fifth-grade toachor at Anderson Elementary School and a freelance (oomaNst She can be reached at irebertsoniehorne.com via e-mail. The views expressed reflect those ol the author. 5n KM When Derek Daughetee of Tempe stuffed his Franklin Mint collectors knife into his backpack, he had no idea what was about to happen.

His plan to barter it for a coveted video game went awry when the fancy weapon fell onto the floor at Sam fees Middle School. What Derek got instead of a game was something he hadn't bargained for: lie was permanently kicked out of all Tempe public schools. Of course, charter schools are an option, but still, it was a pretty harsh sentence for a seventh-grader. Or was it? At the end of March, seventh-grader David Silverstein of Desert Sky Middle School in Glendale was suspended when he brought his homemade rocket to school. Mis weapon, made of a Pringles potato chip can, construction paper, Band-Aids and a few ounces of flammable paint, was classified as a firearm under the Deer Valley Unified School Districts zero-tolerance policy.

Although he originally was suspended for the remainder of the semester, critical public attention forced the district to amend its decision. David was allowed to return to school two months after he was suspended, lie had already endured what many considered a pretty harsh punishment. Or was it? Sitting on the sidelines and criticizing teachers and schx)l administrators for enforcing the rules is easy. Pick up a newspaper and either a columnist or editorial is likely to be pointing out how silly school administrators can be for enforcing the rules. But trust me, every school has a zero-tolerance policy, and I can guarantee you as a classroom teacher that every single child, even the youngest ones, know they cannot bring lo school a knife, a gun, a laser pen, or anything else that can hurt someone else.

These rules are put into place at schools because parents want lo make sure their children are safe in class. At the beginning of each school year, parents and students usually sign a copy of the policy, showing that they agree lo abide by it. Where arc the columnists and editorials then about such an idiotic-policy? A zero-tolerance policy for weapons is considered by most cvery- one to be a good thing. That is, until i i i .1. goou kio violates ine ruie.

l.vulcntly, an unwnlten part ol a zero-tolerance policy is that good kids deserve a break if they break the rules. Bad kids should get no mercy. What else explains the outpouring of criticism for the school boards enforcing the rules? Imagine die outcry IX-reki knife had been found by someone who accidentally stabbed 7 OF LETTERS disease and strokes. One study shows that just a few months after the bars went smoke-free, lung health among restaurant and bar employees improved. They had less coughing and other respiratory problems.

Gordon Draves President GASP (Georgians Against Smoking Pollution) East Point, Ga. Where's right to choose? I am responding to the article reporting that Gilbert may adopt a no-smoking rule for the restaurant and bar establishments in that city. I low is it thai the right to choose where one goes lo spend one's own money can be cut short by some? The free-market syslein can work in small sector as well as in a large one. If the customer does not wish go to a legal place, he or she is forced to do so. We have at present enough of a "nanny" government.

I prefer the opportunity to select where I wish lo dine and allow others to make their preference. It is not necessary to force an all-or-nothing standard. If the figure of 25 percent who smoke is accurate, that 's a pretty healthy number of people who should be able lo go to an establishment of their choice. Gloria Reaudrrau Mesa Give tennis a break I'd like lo thank Craig Morgan of Arizona Republic for the insight.