Sunday Poll: Should Ferguson Mayor James Knowles Resign?
Ferguson Mayor James Knowles, running unopposed, was reelected to a second 3-year term in April 2014. Much has changed in the year since — following the recent Dept of Justice report we had the resignations of the city manager, municipal judge, police chief, and others.
Some feel Knowles should also resign, they’ve started a recall campaign:
Five residents notified city hall that they had formed a committee to gather signatures to force a recall election, the first step in a removal process outlined in the city’s charter. It appears the group would have 60 days to gather roughly 1,800 signatures, about 15 percent of the number of people who were eligible to vote in the last mayoral election. (Post-Dispatch)
So I ask the question: should he resign? The Sunday Poll is at the top of the right sidebar and is open until 8pm tonight.
— Steve Patterson
Why should he resign? It’s largely a ceremonial position anyway.
No. One, he was reelected. If the local voters/citizens want him gone, they can can either impeach/recall him or vote not to reelect him. Two, we don’t (or shouldn’t) impeach/recall every politician just because we don’t agree with the decicions that they make while they’re in office – that should only be done for criminal acts. Three, the mayor has little direct control over the police department or the courts – those responsibilities lie with the chief and the judge (and they’re both gone). And four, no one is irreplaceable – the problems in north county are institutional, not individual. Changing the players will do very little to change the underlying system that has evolved over the past few decades to fund these small municipalities. “Real change” will require both reducing expenditures, headcounts and compensation and shifting revenue collection from non-residents to back (on)to local residents. Government takes money to run. If you don’t have much industry, don’t have much retail, declining property values and no desire to increase property taxes, then all you’re left with are predatory fees and fines!
Considering only 12% voted in the actual election, I say good luck to ’em, but the mayor isn’t to blame.
He should NOT resign. The voters of Ferguson re-elected him and he continue to represent those voters as Mayor. That some people now don’t want him in office, I say fine. Recall him.