Friday, May 11, 2007

21 Bars

Neo-Prohibitionists Ready To File



Today's the deadline and the modern Carrie Nations say they have the names:
Jim Clayton, who lives outside city limits, said the group hit the required number last night.

Hm. So is it his business? And how many University officials and other public employees will weigh in on this from their official positions?

Speaking of public employees, here's how the city clerk will be spending the next three weeks:
After the deadline, City Clerk Marian Karr said, at least four employees in the city clerk's office will work for roughly 20 days, comparing the signatures to the 51,456 registered Iowa City voters, to finish the count by May 31.

The city code does not call for such an aggressive procedure; it simply says "the city clerk shall complete a certificate as to the petition's sufficiency." Certainly, a quick review striking names outside the jurisdiction (such as, say, Jim Clayton's) is in order, but reviewing every single signature seems like overkill and a poor use of time.

The PC and DI have more coverage. Only the DI bothers to get anything from someone opposing the petition; the PC has a feisty comment section going.

Maybe it's just a coincidence, but funny how this lands on the last day of finals.

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