By RAUL GARCIA JR | Lansing News Wire
The Lansing News Wire had a chance to catch up with Tim Knowlton, candidate for the City of Lansing City Charter General Revision Commission election slated May 7. Here is what he had to say in Meet the Candidate Q&A
Q: Can you briefly introduce yourself and provide some background on your qualifications for this office?
A: My family moved to Lansing in 1957 when I was 4-years-old. From the time I became a Lansing resident, except for a period of seven years when I resided in the City of Detroit, I have lived in Lansing. I have continuously lived in the City proper since 2020. As a kid, I was interested in the local government, and so one thing I bring is a historical knowledge of City government. I graduated from Everett High School in 1971. I majored in history at MSU, from which I received a BA in 1976. I obtained a law degree from UM in December, 1978. In my legal career, I was involved in many cases involving state statutes, city charters and ordinances. I am very analytical, write well, and I actually have ideas about ways in which the Charter could be improved. Now, as a mostly retired attorney, I have the time to devote to the task of drafting a new and improved Charter.
Q: What professional or community experience do you bring to the table that makes you well-suited for this role?
A: While I certainly think the Commission should be composed of people from diverse backgrounds, the particulars of the path my legal career took makes me exceptionally well qualified to be part of that group.
Q: What motivated you to run for this office?
A: I have always thought that an eight member City Council is a silly idea. With an even number of members, there can be ties on important issues as we have recently seen with the tie vote on the proposal for the City to purchase the old Masonic Temple for a new City Hall. In addition, despite the current Charter providing for a vote of two-thirds of the Council to override a mayoral veto, in fact, it takes three-fourths of the Council (6 of 8) to override a veto. So a desire to establish a nine member City Council was the main motivator, although I have other ideas about Charter revisions that would make City government more democratic and open to the voters. I am a Lansing booster and believe I can improve the City through my contribution on the Charter Commission.
Q: Can you articulate your vision for the city and the key issues you hope to address if elected?
A: I seek a City which provides greater opportunity for all citizens to participate in decision making through greater democratization. I also think more should be done to assist the residents of Lansing in navigating the bureaucracy and providing assistance to those who are the least well off. I think the idea of creating a formal position for a ombudsman should be discussed by the Commission.
Q: What are the top three priorities you would focus on if elected?
A: First is a nine member Council, with at least five wards. I would be willing to support any of the following as to the selection of the Council members: (a) 5 from wards, 4 at-large; (b) 6 from wards, 3 at-large, and (c) all 9 selected through wards. Second, I support ranked-choice voting of local officials. At least five Michigan cities have adopted Ranked Choice Voting. In 2023, for instance, it was adopted in Kalamazoo with the approval of over 70% of the electorate. I believe it is a more democratic method than is currently used as one doesn’t have to vote for the lesser evil or be concerned about throwing away a vote. An RCV system also eliminates the need for primary elections; thus, saving the City money. Before any of the localities that want to use RCV can actually implement it, there has to be a change in state law. I intend to work toward this state law change whether or not I am elected to the Commission. Third, although I support the continuation of a mayor directly elected by the citizens, I would like to see the powers of the Mayor and Council adjusted so that the Council has greater power in governance. For instance, one change could be for each of the Council and the Mayor to select 50% of the members of boards and commissions instead of the Mayor exclusively exercising this power of appointment.
Q: How do you plan to address specific challenges facing the city, and what are the relevant issues from your point of view?
A: As I see it, the Charter Commission exists to propose an overall structure for City government, while specific challenges are more in need of being addressed by City policies that are developed within that structure. Certainly, crime is a much talked about issue in Lansing, particularly gun violence. Homelessness is also a serious problem. Both were far more minor problems when I was growing up in the City, although both problems have been exacerbated by state and national policies over the last 40 some years. I am open to any ideas about how these problems could be mitigated by Charter revisions but even after the revision, I think these issues will be most effectively addressed through community pressure on elected representatives at all levels of government.
Q: How do you plan to engage with and involve the community in decision-making processes?
A: I think the Commission should have a website that addresses the topics that are scheduled to be discussed at each meeting and that specifically requests citizen input, including the development of polls to help assess the degree of support for different Charter options. I would also be willing to attend and take citizen input at forums sponsored by different groups within the City. Personally, I would make myself accessible to citizens to discuss their ideas.
Q: What strategies do you have for ensuring that all voices in the community are heard and considered?
A: I would intend to make it as easy as possible for members of the public to bring their issues to the attention of the Commission. That said, those members of the community who have specific ideas about what the Charter should include or exclude also have a responsibility to utilize available means of having their opinions heard.
Q: Can you provide a brief overview of the current city charter and its key provisions?
A: The current Charter is readily available for review, and reading it is the best way of understanding what it does. In short, the Charter provides for a fairly traditional strong mayor/city council arrangement, with the exception of providing for a council with an even number of members.
Q: What specific aspects of the city charter do you believe need updating, and why?
A: I interpret this question as asking about technical changes to the Charter versus the more substantive changes that I have already mentioned. As one example, the current Charter provisions on the circulation of initiative and referendum petitions are in conflict with current SCOTUS decisions addressing who may circulate petitions. I would also look at updating the current Charter provision that bars anybody convicted of any felony from holding a City elective office for twenty years, which strikes me as excessive. The Charter also bars those who are “in default” to the City from holding office. This is a very vague standard — does it include being late paying a tax, failure to pay a parking ticket, etc. If such a provision is retained in a new Charter, what constitutes a “default to the City” must be updated to include more precise language as to what this means.
Q: Can you discuss any experience you have had with drafting or amending legal documents, such as ordinances or charters?
A: As an attorney, I drafted all manner of documents, including proposed statutes and administrative rules for clients, as well as involvement in working groups to reach a consensus with regard to the same. I have also been involved in drafting settlement agreements — some of which were quite complex with different governmental entities.
Q: How would you approach analyzing the potential impacts of proposed charter changes on the community?
A: By and large, my personal test would be whether the proposed change increases democracy and equality for City residents. As part of community input, I would attempt to ascertain if certain proposed changes are counterproductive insofar as a significant group of citizens are concerned. Ultimately, most laws result in some unintended consequences. Of course, one needs to keep one’s ear to the ground in contemplating changes as a new Charter has to be accepted by Lansing voters.
Q: How would you handle conflicting viewpoints within the charter update committee or the broader community?
A: Such conflicts will inevitably arise. Robust discussions between the Commissioners will likely result in the emergence of a consensus on most issues. To the extent this is not possible with respect to a given issue, the issue would need to be resolved by a majority vote of the Commission. As to the broader community, I, for one, have no intention of pushing proposals that would threaten the adoption of a revised Charter by the voters.
Q: How familiar are you with local government laws and regulations?
A: I am very familiar with how local governments operate and the state laws that constrain what local units of government are permitted to do.
Q: Can you highlight any specific innovations or improvements you would like to see in the updated charter?
A: In addition to those already mentioned, I think residents who are charged with blight violations should be extended due process rights now sadly lacking when a resident wants to defend against such an alleged violation. The Michigan home rule cities act specifically allows for resolution of these complaints through administrative hearings, which guarantee those charged with a right to a hearing before an independent hearing officer, subject to written rules of evidence, with the City obligated to bear the burden of proof. Presently, it seems that people who are least able to afford the consequences of Code compliance claims that are disproportionately subject to them. If I am elected, I intend to investigate whether, as I believe, Code compliance is being used principally to generate revenue for the City as opposed to correcting conditions that are actually of concern for neighbors of cited properties.
Q: Can you highlight any specific innovations or improvements you would like to see in the updated charter?
A: I have noted many in many prior responses, and I am sure others will become apparent as the process continues to move forward.
Q: What are your favorite notable personal achievement:
A: I have had several personal and professional achievements, but I don’t want to focus on past glories.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies:
A: I like to read and listen to music.
Q: Favorite Book:
A: I have had many different favorite books through out my life. About half of my reading over the past year or so have been novels by Joyce Carol Oates. Other favorite novelists are Richard Russo and Richard Ford. I also read a fair amount of non-fiction. I credit the two volume “Political Economy of Human Rights” by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky as the single greatest influence on my political philosophy today.
Q: Favorite Movie, or TV Show:
A: My favorite movie is “Lawrence of Arabia”. My favorite television series is probably “The Wire”.
Q: What is your favorite food:
A: My favorite cuisine is Indian food, but I like most types of food that I have had the opportunity to try.
Editor’s Note: All of the candidates on the ballot for the City of Lansing Charter Revision Commissioner have been asked the same questions and have been invited to participate in the Lansing News Wire Meet the Candidate Q&A. The responses will be published as they are received until the election
Tanya Garcia