THUMBS DOWN Charter Logjam: Bad Timing For Dallas

Thumbs down to Don Howard, president of the Dallas Fire Fighters Association, and to Joan Smotzer and Domingo Garcia, co-founders of the Unified Coalition for Police Reforms, for forcing a City Charter amendment election on May 6. The fire fighter group wants to increase personnel by roughly 100, and the police group wants a stronger Civilian Police Review Board. The problem is not with the causes, but the timing. The charter, by state law. can only be amended once every two years, and if either group wins on May 6. a charter election to redraw City Council districts to allow more minority representation will be painfully delayed. Many who strongly feel that redistricting should have top priority will therefore be forced to lobby against both of these groups-even if they agree with them-thus increasing the chances that both amendments will fail. For their supporters and for the good of the city, these groups should have waited until a vote on all three issues could be held in August.