News release from City Council (D-5th) candidate Geoff Paddock:
Paddock announces common sense steps for city ordinances
Geoff Paddock, the Democratic Candidate for City Council in the Fifth District, today announced several common sense steps he would take in introducing a local ordinance before the Fort Wayne City Council. The full text of his proposal is published in today’s edition of the Journal Gazette, as a guest column. In it, he outlines steps he would take to propose local legislation:
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[li]Present an idea or proposal to the city attorney and council attorney to determine if it is within the legal limits of city law and within the authority of city council.[/li]
[li]Determine how the proposal would affect city government and what the economic impact or cost would be on taxpayers.[/li]
[li]Speak with the mayor and department heads, which are directly affected, to gauge their reaction and their perspective on how the ordinance would affect the city and how much it would cost to enforce.[/li]
[li]Seek advice and input from the general public and taxpayers, as many new laws add layers to local government and adversely affect citizens.[/li]
[li]Be personally prepared to answer questions after diligently researching the issue and speaking with experts in the area being addressed.[/li]
[li]Attempt to find a co sponsor on the council that may have some expertise on the subject matter, and work to find a member of the opposite party to co sponsor the ordinance, if possible.[/li]
[/list]In his proposal, Paddock emphasized the need for more bi partisanship on City Council. Currently there is too much bickering among members. Some ordinance are being introduced without the proper preparation, research, and due diligence that should be conducted before introduction.
“I will work to change the tone on City Council. We need more common sense exhibited at the council table. With just nine members, it is important to work together, have respect for one another, and do what is right for the taxpayers. This has been ignored and voters are seeing a lack of camaraderie that should not exist,” Paddock said.
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