• General Counsel Rick Mullaney has weighed in on moving the date of local elections and his legal opinion is that such a move is legal. He was asked recently by Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland to look into the matter. Mullaney released his advisory opinion Tuesday. Holland was concerned that, if a November referendum passed, Ordinance 2009-893-E would take away the electorate’s ability to elect district representatives on City Council. Mullaney said it was lawful and constitutional, and the City has the power to change its local election schedule. Council Vice President Jack Webb is a sponsor of the ordinance created to, primarily, give incoming Council members enough time to research and discuss the budget. “Whatever we do, there is going to be an adjustment of terms,” said Webb. “The only way you can really fix the system is to extend the term. I think it’s going to happen one way or the other and we just need to get it done.”
