Show Me Ethics: Springfield City Council Can Still Do The Right Thing

This is no longer about marijuana, it is about doing the right and ethical thing.  Springfield City Council pulled a dirty move in an "apparently legal" strategy (there's some fine reporting, News-Leader) that lets them adopt a bill only to gut it or repeal it at their convenience.

It was nothing more than a move to keep this from a vote by Springfield citizens.  And that must not be tolerated by our government, especially in wake of their making it so they do not suffer the risk of being unseated by an election.

Maranda Reynolds, of Springfield Cannabis Regulation, said the group has decided not to pursue a referendum petition to undo council’s Sept. 24 repeal of the ordinance, which would have restricted the penalties that can be assessed for minor marijuana possession.

“We were thinking about a referendum, but we decided it would be unwise because (City Council) could use the same move they did with the petition to kill it,” Reynolds said. “We don’t want to take the risk of doing all that work again only to have them go around it.”

Supporters of the ordinance gathered more than 2,100 signatures, forcing council either to adopt the law as written or send it to a vote. They and other critics have accused council members of subverting the initiative petition process by approving the marijuana law only to repeal it at the first opportunity.

Apparently legal, the maneuver allowed council to avoid putting the proposed ordinance on the November ballot.

We must stand up for our right to be heard, and hold the council to their obligation to honor the law and the spirit of the law.  This is not the first time they've acted in lieu of allowing people a voice.  It simply has to stop.

They can still voluntarily put this to a vote.  They won't, but they could.