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Puyallup's contentious proposal to have all its city council positions elected by a citywide vote may be dead in the water, despite receiving initial approval from a majority of the city council last week.
Councilman Mike Deal, who voted in favor of the proposal on first reading last Tuesday, now says he's changed his mind. Citizens shouted their opposition to the proposal to eliminate council voting districts at last week's council meeting, prompting Puyallup police to review recordings of the meeting to see if any citizens engaged in disorderly conduct.
Deal said in an e-mail today that he doesn't think it's right to make all council positions citywide after some of this November's council candidates have already begun to campaign in their neighborhood districts. If Deal changes his vote and the other council members maintain their positions, the at-large proposal will fail 4-3.
East Pierce County readers can find out more about Puyallup's at-large city council proposal in tomorrow's edition of The Herald.
Click 'more' to see the e-mail Deal sent to me and other members of the City Council today.
After having some time to reflect on last week's city council meeting, and the dust-up regarding at-large vs. council districts, I have decided to change my position. I still believe that all council positions, elected city-wide, are the most democratic. All citizens get to vote on all seven positions, instead of just three. Having said that, I don't believe now is the time to make that change.
Several individuals have already filed paper work with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission, declaring their candidacy for council positions, to be elected by council district. I believe that it is unfair to change the ground rules in the middle of campaigns.
I am going to support adding the new populations from the West Hills annexation to existing council districts. We are, according to state law, supposed to follow natural boundaries and straight lines as much as possible, when drawing district lines. The line, separating council district one from council district two, from west to east, does not. However, it is unfair to the current incumbent to move him into a different district during an election year.
I believe that a future council, after the 2010 census has been completed, should address these irregularities, and the issue of council districts vs. all positions at-large. Accordingly, I will not vote to change to an all at-large council.
