There was a time when I thought the recall process was all about ridding the political system of really bad people. Thieves, crooks, you name it. But in Haines, apparently, it is now a process to get rid of elected officials you don’t like, or when you disagree with decisions they have made. The current effort to recall several assembly members seems to be just that. If you don’t like the way your elected officials vote on matters, you try and make some allegation that minimally fits one of the three criteria for recall. (Misconduct in office, failure to perform prescribed duties, and incompetence) Then, the process requires that whatever is presented is accepted as fact and the process goes forward. No validation of the truth of the allegation is done. No consideration of the severity of the actions either. As our attorney has said, “Recall is a political process, not a legal process.”
Mr. Turner’s recall petition is not in the best interest of Haines. It is terribly divisive, costly, and disruptive. And it is self-serving. He is attempting to remove some elected officials as punishment for decisions made. This is really hurting Haines on many levels and will continue to hurt for years to come.
If you are approached to sign the petition for recall, I urge you to just say no. If you have already signed it, ask to have your name removed. We can work through these disagreements without recall.
Ron Jackson