Cowardly Council Faces Backlash

When Springfield City Council approved a bill two weeks ago limiting the penalties for marijuana possession, several members made clear that they did so only to repeal it at the first opportunity.

Monday, 18 speakers signed up to tell council members what they thought of that idea. By and large, it wasn’t complimentary.

“Such a tactic is showing the voting public your distrust in them and makes a mockery of the initiative process,” said Daryl Bertrand, who described himself as a “grateful former medical cannabis user.”

We don't need parents to think for us.  We don't need a city government that uses tricks to get past what it considers to be unworthy of our votes.  We don't need to be told that voting is too expensive, that they will just tell us what to do and we should be grateful for them.  

Maranda Reynolds, who spearheaded efforts to draft and circulate the petition, said the charter guarantees citizens the “power to propose any ordinance ... and to adopt or reject the same at the polls.”

“It does not say they’ll have that power only if council feels like granting it to them,” she said, adding that the more than 2,100 signatures gathered show “it’s clear this issue matters to the people of Springfield.”

It matters to us, and it matters that we are not shafted by the people set there to represent us and look out for our interests.  Our interests are in voting and making our own decisions.