Whatcom Agenda: Get info before voting on initiatives and charters

THE BELLINGHAM HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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Ballot initiatives can sometimes be hard to understand.

Too often, the wording of the measures on the ballots, and in the voters guide, are difficult to comprehend - loaded down with legalese and sections and subsections.

Before you decide how to vote, we recommend you consider attending a forum where officials will help explain the arguments for and against those choices.

Next Saturday morning, the League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women will hold a forum with speakers both for and against all three statewide initiatives on this November's general election ballot, as well as proposed changes to the Whatcom County charter and the Bellingham city charter.

We hope many citizens show up to the forum. We encourage you to ask a lot of questions. The changes to the county and Bellingham charters could change how, and how often, citizens vote for council members. The statewide initiatives on the ballot this year include changes to state transportation rules and funding, the care of the elderly, and rules about assisted-suicide for the terminally ill.

These are important questions for citizens to consider. And information makes every vote better.

- League of Women Voters and AAUW Ballot Issues Forum

9:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Bellingham Public Library, 210 Central Ave.

PRESENTATION ARGUES FOR BETTER URBAN PLANNING

Dan Burden, an advocate for having cities be more friendly to pedestrian and bicyclists has become very interested in Bellingham.

Burden, an urban planner who spends his time promoting changes to reach these goals, was among planners who recently looked at the city and made suggestions.

Burden argues that walkability is the cornerstone to livable cities and urban transportation and leads to more social interaction, better health and less crime.

His thoughts about such things could end up being part of how the city plans for its future, particularly on the redeveloped waterfront.

- "Creating Walkable Communities," a presentation by Dan Burden

7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, in the council chambers of Bellingham City Hall, 210 Lottie St.

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POSTED: Monday, Oct. 13, 2008

Whatcom Agenda: Get info before voting on initiatives and charters

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