Referendum: Esslinger May Sponsor
by Tony Palmeri
Oshkosh Common Councilor Paul Esslinger may sponsor a resolution to place an Iraq War troop withdrawal referendum question on the April, 2006 ballot. In my conversation with Mr. Esslinger, he told me that even though he would probably vote "no" on the question should it be on the April 6th ballot, he believes that voters should have the opportunity to send their elected officials a message on such an important issue. The referendum question states:
"Should the United States begin an immediate withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, beginning with the National Guard and Reserves?"
Esslinger also said that he thought the referendum question would help increase voter turnout in the April elections.
Esslinger would not commit himself to sponsoring the resolution until he obtained information about what additional costs, if any, placing a referendum question on the April ballot would require. Should the costs be minimal, he would sponsor the resolution.
At a July 20th meeting organizational meeting called by the Winnebago Peace and Justice Center and the Lake Winnebago Green Party, Councilor Bryan Bain explained the process for getting a referendum question on the ballot and--while he was not ready to commit at the meeting--indicated that there was a possibility he could sponsor a council resolution to place the question on the April ballot.
If Bain and Esslinger cosponsored and voted for such a resolution, that would mean two additional councilors would be needed to place the the question on the ballot. Those councilors are: Mayor William Castle, Deputy Mayor Frank Tower, Shirley Brabender Mattox, Burk Tower, and Meredith Scheuermann.
Another meeting to discuss the referendum will be held on Wednesday, August 3rd at 7 p.m. in Meeting Room A (basement) of the Oshkosh Public Library. For more information about the referendum drive, contact Bob Poeschl, Winnebago Peace and Justice Center, bob@bobpoeschl.com or Ron Hardy, Lake Winnebago Green Party ronaldkanehardy@babblemur.com
