{"id":1605,"date":"2017-04-23T11:34:50","date_gmt":"2017-04-23T16:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/truthinaddison.com\/?page_id=1605"},"modified":"2017-04-23T11:35:16","modified_gmt":"2017-04-23T16:35:16","slug":"1605-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/truthinaddison.com\/?page_id=1605","title":{"rendered":"Addison\u2019s Charter on SUCCESSIVE Terms Is Very Clear, Braun and Chow are Eligible"},"content":{"rendered":"

Addison\u2019s Charter on SUCCESSIVE Terms<\/strong>
\nIs Very Clear, Braun and Chow are Eligible<\/strong>
\nBy Susan M. Halpern<\/strong>
\nFormer Addison Councilmember (1992-1999)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Todd Meier is again misusing Addison resources in an effort to influence the election. If it isn\u2019t clear by all his attacks and the outrageous and false allegations Meier has directed at Joe Chow, Meier opposes Chow.\u00a0 That is his right, but Meier is prohibited by law from using Addison resources to attack Chow or, for that matter, Tom Braun.\u00a0 And yet, Meier persists, and has attacked Joe Chow in each of the last four newsletters, using Addison\u2019s email list.\u00a0 The law prohibiting such conduct is clear.\u00a0 Meier just doesn\u2019t care and continues to brazenly ignore it.<\/p>\n

Meier now claims that provisions of Addison\u2019s Charter regarding term limits cast doubt on the eligibility of Tom Braun and Joe Chow, because both served on Addison\u2019s council some years ago. This is patently false, and it\u2019s not even a close call. Let\u2019s talk about it.<\/p>\n

First and foremost, don\u2019t let Meier\u2019s timing be lost on you. The election is two weeks away.\u00a0 The candidates filed for office starting in January and that process closed more than two months ago.\u00a0 If Meier believed there was a genuine issue, he would have raised it long ago.\u00a0 So, make no mistake about what Meier is doing.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t about the eligibility of candidates Meier opposes.\u00a0 This is about attacking those candidates in close proximity to the election, in an effort to influence the result on a false premise.<\/p>\n

Second, I have yet to hear condemnation of Meier\u2019s tactics from those who stand to benefit from his attacks on Joe Chow and others. It appears that they are fully on board with these negative tactics, which do nothing to advance Addison\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n

Third, let\u2019s get to Addison\u2019s Charter. The provision in question limits service to three SUCCESSIVE terms of office.\u00a0 It does not limit service on the council to three TOTAL terms.\u00a0 Here\u2019s the language:<\/p>\n

No person shall serve as Mayor for more than three (3) SUCCESSIVE terms of office, and no person shall serve as a councilmember for more than three (3) SUCCESSIVE terms of office.<\/p>\n

(Charter, Section 8.04(h) (capitalization added)). The inclusion of the modifier \u201cSUCCESSIVE,\u201d and the absence of the word \u201cTOTAL\u201d are the keys.\u00a0 Meier\u2019s suggestion is that you ignore \u201cSUCCESSIVE,\u201d and then add the word \u201cTOTAL.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s just not what the Charter says, and it\u2019s not how statutory construction works.<\/p>\n

But then, Meier knows all that. He\u2019s a lawyer like I am, and construing these laws is a significant part of our training.\u00a0 So, make no mistake about what\u2019s going on here.\u00a0 Meier isn\u2019t raising a genuine issue.\u00a0 Rather, Meier\u2019s intent is to improperly influence the election by way of attacking Joe Chow and Tom Braun.\u00a0 It\u2019s underhanded, dirty politics<\/p>\n

We can do better, starting by rejecting Meier\u2019s politics of deceit and division. That will start us on the path back to the Addison Way.<\/p>\n

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