Petition text for ballot question called, "Pittsburgh Mirrors Population"

Here is the text of the petition now hitting the streets seeking to put a ballot question before the voters in May 2007. This is FYI and a starting point for discussions, perhaps. My position on the ballot question is pending.

Pittsburgh Mirrors Population Question

Shall Article 3 Section 302 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of Pittsburgh be amended to read as follows:

302. COMPOSITION

Council shall consist of seven Members, two of whom shall be elected at-large, and five of whom shall be elected by district.

Each of the five districts shall be represented by one Member that shall reside in that district.

Any political party or body shall be entitled to nominate one candidate for the office of At-Large City Council Member. In the Municipal Election, each voter may vote for no more than one candidate for the office of At-Large City Council Member, and the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be electe as the At-Large City Council Members.

---

All petitions must be filed by 5 pm on February 13, 2007.

The introduction letter says that the Republican Committee of Pittsburgh (PGHGOP.org) will be conducting the petition drive. "No petitions will be controlled by any other entity, besides our committee. There is no way that these petitions will not be filed if we get enough signatures..."

In the summer, petitions were gathered by the firefighters and the GOPers. But they were NOT put into the election department. The papers might have been used as a bargain point and leverage for some other matter and just left to gather dust. Or, there might not have been enough signatures. Who knows?

"Any registered voter in the city can sign and/or circulate our petition.

"This City is in trouble. We need to make this change within City Government. The iron is hot NOW. This is when we have to act. People all across this City want this. Lets get out there and show Grant Street that they have lost their power."