Measure J has an interesting and unique background in this city we call home

Should the entire town or just our elective representatives have the final say on major land-use decisions?

Quick question.

No matter how long you’ve lived here, what do you now have to say about Measures J, R and D?

When Measure J was first proposed in the Year 2000, no one was exactly sure how the voters of Davis would react.

What a novel idea, some thought. Let the people decide before you allow a developer to turn tomatoes into townhomes or cornfields into condos.

Others argued that this was no way to run a city. We elect people to the City Council and we should let them do their jobs.

If you don’t like the job they’re doing, vote them out of office at the next election. Or, in case of emergency, break glass and recall them.

I know that’s messy, but that’s how the argument went. However, it was an argument that didn’t win the day with the intelligent electorate in this town.

Although Measure J wasn’t my idea in any way, I was supportive of the concept and willing to give it a try.

If you can’t trust the people of Davis, who can you trust?