by Gainesville Residents United
On Nov. 5, 72% of local voters approved a referendum amending the City of Gainesville’s home rule Charter to eliminate the gubernatorially appointed Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority and restore control of the utilities to the elected City Commission.
The referendum restored control of municipal utilities to the citizens of Gainesville through the City Commission.
Despite that voter mandate, the Authority and its board members refuse to cede control over the utilities to the City; have not withdrawn their lawsuit challenging that referendum; and continue to assert their authority over city property and employees, including decisions affecting long-term GRU operations.
Because the Authority has not complied with that public referendum, GRU, Inc. is petitioning for effective judicial relief. That relief would include a determination that the Authority and its board members have no authority to control or direct any aspect of the City’s utilities or to take any other action other than to disband.
The citizens of Gainesville clearly have the authority to amend our home rule charter. And just as clearly, there is no state preemption of that local authority in the prior legislation (HB 1645) that had created the gubernatorially appointed authority.
GRU, Inc. is presenting these legal arguments in parallel with a similar, separate case filed against the City by the Authority challenging the citizens’ referendum. While the two cases are separate and distinct, counsel for the respective cases are communicating and coordinating on these complementary suits that present many similar legal arguments. GRU, Inc. counsel is pleased and confident that each party has made well-founded cases that have very compelling legal arguments and thus are likely to prevail in persuading the court to rule in our favor in each case.
The price of freedom is vigilance. Gainesville Residents United, Inc. will continue to advocate for local control of our public utilities. We support our Gainesville City Commission, our local residents, and will continue to promote home rule and democracy by the people and for the people.
We look forward to successfully resolving this legal challenge. And, in so doing, call upon the Gainesville City Commission to begin work with local citizens and governments to devise an inclusive, semi-autonomous, locally controlled public utility.
Local governance should be decided by local public participation and GRU, Inc. will be advocating for such ideas as a city commission-appointed board consisting of five city residents and two county residents that has final decision authority on all matters other than budget, rate setting, and general services contribution.
For more information, visit www.GRUnited.org.