In the October 7 Homer municipal elections residents voted down a Home Ruled Charter Commission, preventing it from becoming a home-ruled city.
City Manager Walt Wrede detailed the process they were in when the commission got voted down.
Wrede: “First there has to be a petition that get s a sufficient number of signature, and you bring that in and a city clerk has to certify it, a council passes a resolution authorizing it to go forward. Then there is a process where charter commission members who want to be on the charter have to get a number of signatures on their personal petitions and then the whole question goes on the ballet. Its a two part question, should a charter commission be formed, yes or no and then the 2nd part of it is you get to vote on who the commission members are.
Although there was a sufficient amount of charter commission members available who had gotten the required signatures, Wrede said the very first question of whether or not to form the commission was voted down.
He added he wasn’t sure residents realized what that commission was being formed for.
Wrede: “The differences aren’t that great really in terms of powers between home rule and a first class city but there are some very significant ones including the ability to tax without approval of the borough.”