Election Nov 6: Vote YES on the Propositions

Election Nov 6: Vote YES on the Propositions for your consideration. If you read the petitions that created the Ballot language on the Nov 6 Election Ballot, you’ll find that there is a requirement to take into account citizens and their tax burden. The actual special interests referred to by the Mayor and in certain memes being posted are actually the current powers that be in the City, especially the current City leadership.

The “Special Interest” groups that the Mayor wants to keep out of influence are people who believe in God and think that the Ten Commandments have a role in civic government. Its really that simple. We used to be a society that unified on the Ten Commandments, the constitution and virtue. Now we have more division than ever as the Ten Commandments have been removed, the Constitution undermined and the family attacked.

Passing the Propositions on Nov 6th, especially Proposition A, will be an important step forward to making our public officials accountable to We The People, which is the ultimate and most important “special interest” group in society. As part of the Responsible Government Coalition, we asked for help in changing the City Charter on Referendums. Kudos to the San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association for listening to our request and responding. In 2013, after Council voted to implement an ordinance granting special class protections based on people’s chosen way of life, we as part of the Responsible Government Coalition found out the hard way that trying to collect over 61,046 signatures (10% of registered voters on the May 2013 election) in 40 days was unreasonable especially when only 46,417 votes were cast in the May 2013 election and the Mayor was elected with only 29,454 votes. How is it reasonable for citizens to have to collect approximately 15,000 more signatures to overturn and in reaction to a bad Council vote?

Council had been planning the vote for months when they heard from the citizens. We helped set a new record at Citizens To Be Heard Council Session history and it was overwhelmingly against passing the NDO, yet they voted progressively and against We The People majority anyway. Proposition A is a must to affirm that elected officials are accountable to the citizens of San Antonio. The Charter Referendum used to be in line with Texas state statute until about 1995-97 when it was changed to its current unreasonable form after the citizens stopped the Apple White project.

Voting YES to Prop A will bring the Referendum back in line with Texas’ Statute. SAFA is not in favor of Prop B as it will restrict the Council’s responsibility to approve or disapprove of the City Manager and the respective contract for that selected person. However, based on the current City Manager’s mishandling of the SAPD and SAFD contract negotiations, her agreement of an Evergreen Clause on one hand and then contradicting herself by filing a lawsuit with the State of Texas against SAFD in part based on the unconstitutionality of the Evergreen Clause at taxpayer expense is disingenuous and wasteful. Therefore, not only could a valid argument be made to vote for Proposition B but also Prop C is favorable as it will force both sides, the City and the Fire Dept., to come to the table and make a reasonable contract agreement that will usually involve both sides getting some of what they want and some of what they don’t want but should ultimately save tax payers money (depending on who they elect to Council).

SAFA encourages San Antonio citizens to consider thoroughly and go VOTE yes to the Propositions on Nov. 6th, especially Proposition A.