THE PUBLIC MIND: READER OFFERS SUPPORT FOR ZONE VOTING

To the Editor:

What rights can citizens demand of the local government in the City of Cape Girardeau? Let us look at a few of the rights its citizens should be able to expect.

1. The right to vote on any city fee increases, i.e., trash and water rates.

2. The right not to be ridiculed by the City Council or the city staff when citizens speak up for their rights at council meetings. Without citing any examples most citizens view the televising of the council meetings and are well aware this problem exists.

3. The right to insist on full city budgetary disclosures - not just what the city wants its citizens to know about, i.e., lawsuits against the city and salary or upper city management, without having to go to the city hall or courthouse to look it up.

4. The right not to have to babysit maggots in garbage for eight days between regular refuse pickup schedules. The right to expect twice a week pickup for the monthly fee citizens must now pay. It is fact and common knowledge there is not enough market for many recyclables. That recyclables many times do in fact land back into landfills because there is nowhere else to store them. Nine out of ten people agree recycling is important but not weekly at this time. That once a month is sufficient. Looking at the gas wasted by recycling trucks that go up and down street collecting nothing. Is that good fiscal responsibility for our monthly fee? Where are our rights to question poor waste management? That brings us to another right we should have.

5. The right to choose who we want to pick up our garbage and recyclables besides the city. The commercial accounts have that right - why can't the citizens? Don't give the citizens the song and dance of cutting jobs for sanitation workers. I am sure the increase in workload for private haulers would result in their getting jobs with that private industry. Anyway, how is cutting sanitation jobs any different then forcing police or firefighters to retire early - or just cutting their jobs out? Where are their rights after years of faithful service to the city?

6. The right not to be forced to do whatever the city demands without a public hearing. Oh, the city does have public hearings, but not until after they have made their minds up as to what direction they want to take, regardless of the outcome of the public hearing. They listen, and then do what they want anyway - this kind of public hearing is not a right - it is merely a frivolous formality. The word formality as used in this context is defined as "any conventional act or requirement; ceremony or form, often without practical meaning."

Think of it, wouldn't it be nice to have these rights? We can, you know. We can elect a qualified neighbor, who understands our problems as they affect our part of the city. This is not an aldermanic form of government, it is keeping with six city council people as it now stands. The difference is one council person will be elected from each zone of the city, not at large. With four persons on the council who live at the same end of town, which end of town gets the most attention. Think about it! There are many cities the size of Cape Girardeau that have had this type of Zone Council System and are very successful and are growing cities, not like Cape Girardeau with a decreasing population and sluggish economic growth. Change can only come through action. Voting is a call to action. Vote YES on November 3rd for City Zones!

Miki Gudermuth

Cape Girardeau