Source: Submitted
Hundreds of signatures have already been collected for a petition calling for the implementation of proposed franchise fees for electric and gas utilities to be decided on by Newton voters in an election rather than through a majority vote by the elected city council. Just over 100 signatures are needed for an election.
Dennis Messick, 82, of Newton, kickstarted the petitions. He told Newton News he is not saying whether he is for or against the franchise fees, but he will go with “whatever the majority of the people want.” But Messick does not believe it is right for the six city council members to decide on the franchise fees.
The lifelong Newton resident remembers when franchise fees were discussed many years ago. Back then Messick also started a petition. He claimed when he submitted the signed petitions in 2014 the subject was dropped. Messick said it is important to him to put the matter to a public vote.
“For some people it’s going to be costing them money,” he said. “…Any time the city puts a fee on anything, it’s regressive.”
Messick is confident the current petition will be successful and obtain more than enough signatures, especially with the support of a legislator.
“I’ve got some pretty powerful help,” Messick said.
Iowa House Rep. Jon Dunwell has been a loud voice in the debate over franchise fees, both in-person and online. He told Newton News in a statement on Friday that he is supporting the petition as a resident and taxpayer of Newton and not as a legislator.
To him, “this is Newton’s decision, not the state’s” decision.
“A franchise fee is a permanent charge on every gas and electric bill in this city,” Dunwell said in his statement. “It reaches every household, every church, every small business and every renter, every month. A change that big should be decided by the people who will pay it.”
From Dunwell’s interpretation of Iowa Code, a franchise ordinance does not take effect unless it is approved at an election. However, he acknowledged a city council can waive that election, but it has to choose to. To him, the vote is the default, and the petition “simply restores it.”
Dunwell added, “Right now I’m asking that there be a vote. If this reaches the ballot, I’ll have plenty to say about the merits.
“Today, the only question is whether Newton gets to weigh in at all.”
In a Facebook post Dunwell made on his representative page, he also pointed out that neither the city, the mayor, the city attorney nor the county auditor’s office can provide clear answers on how the petition process is supposed to work. State officials told him to direct his questions to the city’s attorney.
Dunwell said the city “can explain exactly how the fee will be collected from your utility bill,” but “it cannot explain how you're supposed to exercise your legal right to challenge it.” While the council has not directly explained how residents can challenge their proposal, they have acknowledged it could be put on a ballot.
To promote the petition even further, Dunwell has generated franchise fee talking points and sample emails from the perspectives of business owners, residents and individuals on fixed incomes. He has also promoted where individuals can sign or drop off signed petitions, which is at the Meisner Center Office in Newton.