On its face, the idea is sounds good, assuming you have an informed electorate, but that's just not the case. Most people don't even know who the mayor is much less the council members. Don't believe me? Just ask around.

Additionally, this is a republic, not a democracy. As history proves, any pure democracy is doomed to failure, and that's what this amendment will begin to do. Instead, we need to know more about our elected officials we charge with our public trust.

Therefore, we need to hire smart people who know business, economics, and what the best course of action is for our municipalities. We need to hire those with a sense of duty, not self interests. As a constituent, it's hard enough just knowing that rather than knowing the complex world of zoning laws, effect-based planning, form-base codes, and so forth. Moreover, it's hard enough to know and concentrate on my own job duties and responsibilities than trying to find the time to pretend to know theirs.

Bottom line, amendment 4 seeks to address the symptom of the problem, not the root cause.

Alternatively, we should focus on whose running things. For those we find have abuse our public trust, vote them out. But most importantly, we need to hold corrupt politicians accountable afterwards as an example and deterrent for future ones that would rather serve themselves than us.

For those reasons and others I'm sure I've forgotten, please vote no on amendment 4.