Changing the charter

Three amendments to the city charter will be on the ballot when Cape Girardeau voters go to the polls April 4. The amendments would allow the city council to fill its own vacancies by appointment until the next special or regular election, would allow the city to raise certain user fees without the approval of voters, and would eliminate the city's ethics commission.

The city council unanimously voted to place the amendments on the ballot after they were recommended by a charter-review committee.

Doubtless good arguments have been made to convince the city council that these changes need to be made. But council support alone won't assure voters vote yes on the charter ballot.

In the months before April, the city must provide the public with rationales for making these changes. Simply informing the voters about what the charter changes do isn't enough. What are the arguments in favor of approving these charter changes? In fairness, what is the downside?

With this information, voters will be better able to make an intelligent decision about making changes when, for many voters, the charter seems to be working just fine the way it is.