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Defiance council directs law director to draft repeal of ‘Democracy Day’ ordinance
Summary
At its March 4 meeting, the Defiance City Council voted 5-2 to ask the law director to prepare legislation repealing Chapter 109 — the ordinance that established an annual “Democracy Day” — citing low public attendance since it was adopted in 2014.
The Defiance City Council voted 5-2 on March 4 to direct the law director to prepare legislation repealing Chapter 109 of the city code, the ordinance that codified an initiative establishing an annual “Democracy Day.”
Law Director Mast told council that voters adopted the initiative in the November 2013 general election and the council codified it as ordinance No. 7598 on March 11, 2014. Mast said attendance for the event has been minimal and called for revisiting the requirement.
Mast, who made the motion to direct the law director to draft repeal legislation, said the initiative was “a political fad” and noted the event’s lack of public turnout in recent years. The motion was seconded and approved by a roll-call vote of five in favor and two opposed.
Council members recorded on the transcript as voting yes were Mister Engel, Mister Corbin, Mister Mas, Mister Wexler and Missus Crutch. Mister Hancock and Mister Rusty voted no. Mast’s motion instructs the law director to prepare repeal legislation pursuant to council rule 16.1; the council did not adopt a repeal ordinance at the March 4 meeting but directed staff to draft the ordinance for future consideration.
Background: the ordinance in question implemented a voter initiative aimed at declaring that “corporations are not people and that money is not speech.” Mast referenced the 2013 electorate action and Ordinance No. 7598 when proposing the repeal. The next formal step is for the law director to prepare the repeal ordinance and bring it back to council for introduction and vote.
The council did not set a public hearing date for a repeal ordinance on March 4; subsequent procedure and timing were not specified in the meeting record.
