- Arne Mortensen
An Imperial Longview City Council
May 2011
An Imperial Longview City Council
Earlier in the week of the 23 May we saw a flurry of activity regarding red light camera deployment in Longview. The bare essence of this issue is the now familiar stand of “government” versus the people. The Longview City council is trying very hard to thwart the people’s legitimate right to petition; whatever pretext or technicality they use, it cannot be superior to the will of the people. Red light cameras are a matter of choice not a matter of necessity; they are just tools, and the citizens have the right to choose.
Imagine if the citizens do not get control over the Longview City Council. What next? Maybe they will find bill boards more attractive (because they make money) than the trees that line the lake? Maybe they will close Lake Sacajawea because of perceived safety concerns (drowning, monkey bar injuries, people crossing the street to the park, etc.)? Who then will stop them?
Longview Citizens need to be absolutely clear about the issue of an Imperial City Council. They can do this best by voting out each and every one of the current council members as soon as possible.