|
|
|
<< Return
|
Chamber Calls for Reconstituted Charter Commission - Thursday, September 15, 2011
|
The Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce has gone on record as opposing the ballot proposal to separate the governments of the City of Lafayette and the Parish of Lafayette. In voting to oppose the measure, the Chamber's Board of Directors called for "a charter commission to be reconstituted to address the inadequacies of the current charter.”
At issue is the Lafayette Charter Commission's recommendation to "deconsolidate” the governments which will be on the ballot on October 22 for voters in the parish. The Charter Commission deliberated for nine months and delivered their proposal to the City-Parish Council earlier this year. The Council, in turn, called for the election.
"The Chamber's position is that there are certain deficiencies in the current charter that have the potential of weakening the City of Lafayette," stated Chamber President & CEO, Rob Guidry. "The business community feels that those problems can be solved without a formal separation of the two governments.”
The Chamber has vetted the issue over a period of three months. Volunteers and staff have heard testimony from proponents and opponents of the change, as well as from those who crafted the existing home rule charter in 1991.
Also factored into the Board's decision was the result of the membership survey. According to the survey, 50% of those responding opposed deconsolidation, 30% supported deconsolidation, while 20% were undecided.
In coming to its decision, the Chamber cites the need to protect the self-determination of the city by preventing non-citizens of the city to vote on city-exclusive issues, including budget, police and fire department policies and utility rates for the Lafayette Utilities System, which is owned by the city.
"Just as the other cities in the parish, the City of Lafayette deserves to control its own destiny. That is fundamental,” added Guidry. "That can be fixed without dissolving the charter we currently have.”
Under the proposal, which the Chamber opposes, the nine-member City-Parish Council would be replaced with two separate councils.
The city-parish president's post would be replaced with a mayor for Lafayette and a parish president for Lafayette parish.
If voters approve splitting the government, the plan would go into effect in 2016.  |
|
|
|
|
