Proponents backing a strong mayor proposal for Yakima say they've decided against starting a signature gathering campaign to get the issue on the ballot.

Bruce Smith, Publisher of the Yakima Valley Business Times says instead they'll leave it up to voters to elect candidates that favor the issue when three of the seven Yakima City Council seats are up for re-election next year. The three council members facing re-election are Brad Hill, Kay Funk and Jason White.
According to a news release Smith along with former Yakima Mayor Dave Edler, former Yakima County commissioner Mike Leita and former Yakima mayor Kathy Coffey say until then the council needs the sort of effective leadership that has been missing for years. They need to begin to solve our community’s problems, many of which have long languished.”
The proponents say they're upset that some council members promised to support the proposal but changed their positions once they were elected.
Smith says they decided against the signature gathering campaign because of the time and work it would take to be successful. He says they'll leave it up to voters.

 

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