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Charter Review Commission in Home Stretch

Posted on: Friday, 16 June 2006, 06:00 CDT

By The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.

Jun. 16--The elected panel reviewing Pierce County government is scheduled to take final votes Saturday on its proposals to voters.

The Charter Review Commission is expected to review 15 proposals before voting on each one. Then it is expected to take a final vote on sending the package to voters on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The meeting begins at 8 a.m. in the Rainier Room of Pierce Transit, 3720 96th St. S.W. in Lakewood.

The proposals would change the county's 1980 home-rule charter -- the county's equivalent of a constitution. The proposals include moves to:

-- Make the county sheriff an elected position rather than appointed.

-- Create a citizen oversight board to investigate complaints of violations of the county's ethics code and charter.

-- Increase the County Council's term limits from two to three four-year terms, while keeping the executive at two four-year terms.

-- Add an eminent domain section to prohibit Pierce County from taking private property for economic development. The county would be allowed to take private property only for public use.

The 21-member commission, elected last November, is conducting a six-month review of the charter. It's a process the charter requires every 10 years.

The commission has until June 30 to complete its work. If the panel doesn't wrap up its final votes Saturday, then it will continue that work June 22.

Aaron Corvin, The News Tribune

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Copyright (c) 2006, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The News Tribune

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