Pubdate: Fri, 18 Apr 2003
Source: Maneater, The (Columbia, MO Edu)
Copyright: 2003 The Maneater
Contact:  http://www.themaneater.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1283
Author: Austin Hake
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

STUDENTS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

The April 8 election results weren't quite what we had hoped them to be. I 
wasn't able to become the first MU student elected to the Columbia City 
Council in more than 20 years, and repeal of the current marijuana 
ordinance, Proposition 1, failed 58 percent to 42 percent.

There were many students who tried to make a difference here in Columbia by 
voting last week.

Unfortunately, there were many more students who were decided to vote "back 
home."

I'm suspicious voting "back home" is often just a way to cover laziness and 
apathy. Those "back home" voters are everything that's wrong with students 
in Columbia.

Columbia is your home nine months out of the year, and it's the decisions 
made here that are the ones that will affect you on a daily basis.

Those of you who did vote in Columbia take heart. Your votes were 
important. I pulled a "Ralph Nader" in the election and grabbed enough 
votes away from one of my opponents - Ben Orzeske - to keep him from winning.

It's not that Orzeske's not a nice guy, but he and some of his friends on 
the East Campus Neighborhood Association have been systematically screwing 
students for years.

Perhaps, when the East Campus Neighborhood Association endorses someone for 
City Council three years from now, they'll do more to work on student 
issues and try to get the student vote.

As for these next three years, Brian Ash, the new City Council member, 
seems committed to keeping the nearly 30,000 of us students in mind when he 
makes decisions about our neighborhoods. Proposition 1 also had a victory, 
even though the marijuana proposition itself failed.

The debate about a possible change to Columbia's marijuana laws prompted 
Columbia Police Chief Ted Boehm to change his department's policy for 
first-time offenders.

Now, all first-time small possession cases will be sent to city court. In 
essence, that will keep the first offense off a person's record.

This change closed up some of the inequities in the city's old policy and 
will give a student who makes a mistake the chance to stay in school and 
find a good job when they get graduate from college, when before, a 
marijuana possession conviction could spell trouble for a student's future.

There were some small victories in last week's election thanks to everyone 
who cared enough about the city they live in. You have made Columbia a 
better place for all of us to live.

Thank you.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager