In the coming weeks, volunteers will be circulating a petition with this question, “Shall Haines Borough voters elect members of the Haines Borough Planning Commission?” With about 250 signatures of residents, this question will go to Haines voters. I encourage you to sign the petition and vote for this change in law.
This change simply means the borough’s planning and zoning commission would be directly accountable to you, the voters, when they make their decisions. If a commissioner shows a bias or disregards borough law, you – the voters – could remove that commissioner from office.
As our campaign will demonstrate, the current system of appointed commissioners has led to decisions that conflict with, twist, or circumvent borough law and subvert the public good. Also, it has become clear that an appointed commission lacks the independence necessary for members to speak up when others tamper with or unduly influence the planning process.
Stacked for years with developers and large landowners and their minions, this commission has rarely served the interests of the entire community and our neighborhoods have suffered as a result.
Already, some at city hall are arguing that a better solution is to designate appointed commission seats for “experts” like engineers and planners. Indeed, expertise is welcome. There’s no reason such “experts” couldn’t stand for election, just like our assembly members and Mayor do.
It has become painfully clear that if we don’t control our town’s planning commission, someone else will. That hasn’t served us well. Please support this effort.
-Tom Morphet