Horse and buggy days are over

The name sums it up – No on Reform Now. The group, headed by mayor pro-tem Michael Leighan, is against reforming Marysville’s 112-year-old system, against change and against progress.

I decided to help as much as I could in the Yes on Proposition 1 effort, and have talked to some very pleasant citizens and civil servants. Two of these conversations I recall in particular. One was with a retiree in Port Townsend, who was part of the successful effort to change that city into a manager/council government. This man had seen both sides of the fence – he had been a mayor for eight years – and liked the side of having his city professionally managed. Another was with a city clerk in Eastern Washington. She admitted that she was apprehensive about the change prior to it, but after the change she felt it worked for her community and made her job a little easier – less political.

In the last 112 years, our U.S. Constitution has been amended 11 times, adding voting rights for women, presidential term limits and the right to vote at age 18, among others. Marysville’s form of government has gone by essentially unchanged. The government that worked well in the horse and buggy age needs updating for the information age. City government affects people, whether they are citizens of the city or live just outside and use city services, as I do. We need professional management. So, if you live in the city of Marysville, please vote yes on Proposition 1 on Sept. 17.

Marysville