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Democracy thwarted

Sun., Aug. 9, 2009

The Spokesman-Review

Councilman Richard Rush got it right at the City Council meeting when he said that the council’s “advisory questions” are prejudicial and interfere with the citizen initiative process.

The City Council has now taken steps that interfere with our ability as residents of Spokane to make and change law. The citizen initiative process is the key way that we can do that. But, when the City Council interferes with that process, we’re faced with a critical question about our democracy and who decides what happens in this city.

With the council’s action, it’s clear that the answer to “who decides?” is that it certainly isn’t us.

Brooke Matson

Spokane

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