Bettendorf city officials are threatening to go to court to try to maximize the length of the appointments the council can make to fill vacant elected positions in the city. For the Quad City Times article on the issue, CLICK HERE.
But before going forward with a lawsuit against the Iowa Secretary of State and costing taxpayers thousands of dollars in legal fees, aldermen should look around the room and honestly ask themselves if they are truly a non-partisan governing body?
City elections under state law are to be non-partisan, but that only means candidates cannot run under Republican or Democrat labels. That hasn't and doesn't mean city election are non-partisan.
Party money, particularly financial contributions from Scott County Republicans, overflowed in the recent Fourth Ward aldermanic race.
To suggest aldermen on the council, or the mayor, are not partisan, or associated with one political party or another, is hogwash. And, to suggest appointments made by the council are non-partisan, are equally false.
The secretary of state's office is right in seeking to have vacant city council and park board seats filled at the earliest opportunity by residents at the ballot box.
Spending taxpayer funds for an open election is a much better expenditure of money than using those dollars to extend the terms of partisan appointments to the council and park board.
