An issue for our 'Hamlet'

To vote, or not to vote, that is the question:

Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer

The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Voters,

Or to take Arms against a Sea of Protesters,

And by opposing, end them.

With apologies to Mr. Shakespeare, the upcoming McEuen Field issue boils down to just that. The Coeur d'Alene City Council this week will likely open up the debate on whether there should be a vote on the proposed project. Those opposed to the vote note two points: A council is elected to make decisions like this, and the council should make that decision, especially since there is no tax increase for city residents.

Those wanting a vote have good points of their own. They state that the project's mere cost and scope, including removing the boat launch and baseball fields, demands an advisory vote on the matter. They also point to the recent council elections, in which two proponents of a vote were elected and a third retained his seat.

The issues that need to be discussed are several:

1. What should be on the ballot? Is it a yea or nay on the whole project or a line by line vote on each aspect? Defining the issue on the ballot would take considerable thought, it seems, so a viable question and answer would result.

2. Who should be allowed to vote? Is it only city residents, since it is a city project, or should all stakeholders be allowed to voice their opinion? Clearly, since there is no fiscal impact on users of the field, as the funding is mostly in place already, determining who should be consulted is of paramount importance.

3. Who will hold the vote and when? As it would be an advisory vote for the council's consideration, it seems reasonable that the city should hold the election. When to hold it is completely open for discussion since the new election laws do not pertain to advisory votes. If they desire a vote, the city may want a decision quickly since the clock is ticking on the timeline for much of its funding.

I would expect the proponents of a public vote on McEuen, chiefly newcomers Dan Gookin and Steve Adams, to come armed with these discussion points in mind, including the proposed ballot wording, to present when the issue arises. That way the council would have the options before them and could make a reasonable decision.

I'm sure The Bard would be amused by all this as he witnessed the drama to unfold:

For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time?

I'm guessing we'll know that soon enough, Will.

John Austin is a former finance director for Kootenai County and the city of Coeur d'Alene and can be reached at [email protected].