vecteezy 3d rendering 3d illustration right and wrong button check 7426547 763 Their reaction to the City Charter referendum looks like the Fayetteville City Council is scared of this vote. For those who need help understanding, some people want to change the City Council's structure by converting four council seats from district seats to citywide seats. Currently, the 10-person council has nine district seats plus the Mayor, who is elected citywide. "Citywide" means "at-large." So, the citizens of Fayetteville would get a total of six votes. One for Mayor, one for their district, and four additional representatives who can live anywhere within the city.

The Mayor's position is an "at-large" position, and if that works for the Mayor, then why wouldn't it work for City Council? Wait, are we saying that the Mayor's position does not or cannot represent the whole city? I don't think we are, but if you interpret this one way, then you have to ask that question to the other. If memory serves, someone gathered a petition of 5,000 signatures which was required to put it on the November ballot. However, the City Council voted not to allow it on the ballot. It went to court, and a judge ordered it on the ballot.

Ask yourself why the Council would refuse it. I have heard this is a Democrat and Republican thing, but that cannot be because the City Council members are supposed to be nonpartisan representatives. The talk on the street is that this is a matter of race. Has anyone looked at the makeup of the City Council? There are representatives of multiple races. Now, let us look at the last Mayoral and City Council election in July. In a city of 210,000 people, only 14,800 voted, with 4,000+ done by mail-in or early voting. Here are a few statistics from a Spectrum News 1 article on July 27 about the City Council election. "The District 7 race between Brenda McNair and incumbent Larry Wright was very close. McNair has 679 votes, 23 more than Wright. The margin in District 3 is even closer. Mario Benavente has 1,012 votes, just six more than incumbent Antonio Jones." In two seats, the total count difference was 29 votes.

For those who can vote and are not happy with the direction of Fayetteville, then change the rules because you have nothing to lose if you want more choices. Change the rules; you have nothing to lose. If you want more representation, then change the rules. You have nothing to lose.

If the City Council had a record of doing good - ensuring low crime, providing a safer place city, better job opportunities, fewer taxes and lowering the homeless rate - then why should they worry about their positions? If the City Council made it their priority to make it easy to make a living, start a business, or keep a business going, then why should they worry about a referendum? If the city focused on making Fayetteville a city with a great reputation, then why should the City Council worry about the referendum?

What is important to you is why you should Vote Yes or Vote No.