Yes to 14-67
Hood River News, October 23, 2019
Measure 14-67, if passed, would require a vote of the people before our city may sell a park. Narrowly tailored to require public vote only as to park dispositions, 14-67 would not otherwise limit council’s legislative discretion. I support 14-67 for several reasons: First, our council’s efforts to date to convert parks to housing has proven divisive and unproductive. Good elements of our community have been pitted against one another in a way we should not repeat. The city’s theory supporting park conversion has been adjudged “implausible” as inconsistent with its legal duty to “protect existing park sites”. The city’s administrative legal budget, from 2016-2020, totals $363,926. While that figure includes other work, we have little to show for our investment. |
Second, 14-67 is not a threat to local democracy. In fact, it is local democracy at work. Supported by over 1,000 petitioning signatures, 14-67 offers an opportunity for voters to provide a check and balance. Indeed, because councilors are elected every other year in groups of three, seats are generally won by a mere plurality. This creates ambiguity in deciphering mandate. 14-67 may be the only path to identify a democratic majority.
Third, we have a park scarcity, particularly on the Westside. Land donors are needed. If dispositions must be approved by the people, donors would have peace of mind that their land grants will not be set aside by a simple vote of four councilors.
Fourth, the stated opposition by some within the city’s establishment seems to prove that park conversion is not a dead idea. Council has not taken steps to rezone Morrison Park as open space.
Fifth, 14-67 does not foreclose park conversion. It would only require a public vote, something available every May and November. If Morrison Park had been presented as a referendum, we could have avoided significant community strife.
Meanwhile, we can and should focus our low-income housing efforts by bold action on other fronts, such grant-leveraged land acquisitions, or even a housing bond measure referred to the people.
Vote yes on 14-67.
Council Procedures Disclosure (§7.3): This constitutes personal, not council, opinion.
Erick Haynie
Hood River
Editor’s note: Erick Haynie has been a member of Hood River City Council since January.
Third, we have a park scarcity, particularly on the Westside. Land donors are needed. If dispositions must be approved by the people, donors would have peace of mind that their land grants will not be set aside by a simple vote of four councilors.
Fourth, the stated opposition by some within the city’s establishment seems to prove that park conversion is not a dead idea. Council has not taken steps to rezone Morrison Park as open space.
Fifth, 14-67 does not foreclose park conversion. It would only require a public vote, something available every May and November. If Morrison Park had been presented as a referendum, we could have avoided significant community strife.
Meanwhile, we can and should focus our low-income housing efforts by bold action on other fronts, such grant-leveraged land acquisitions, or even a housing bond measure referred to the people.
Vote yes on 14-67.
Council Procedures Disclosure (§7.3): This constitutes personal, not council, opinion.
Erick Haynie
Hood River
Editor’s note: Erick Haynie has been a member of Hood River City Council since January.