Let my people know

Tonight's lead editorial reports that local charter-government supporters are moving up their timetable, planning to seek legislative permission for a voter referendum in this year's short session of the General Assembly instead of waiting till next year. They're doing that mostly because Evansville and Vanderburgh County are moving ahead with their plans this year. Vanderburgh's county council has already approved seeking the referendum, and Evansville's city council plans to act as well.

It's a smart move. Fort Wayne and Evansville will have a much better shot at persuading the legislature to approve charter-government studies if they show a united front. But local advocates, I fear, are still lax at something Evansville has been very good at: keeping the public involved and informed every step of the way.

The charter movement nearly blew up here when small-town residents and officials feared things were moving too quickly, that Big Bad Fort Wayne was trying to take over the whole county. And still the charter advocates think they can get all their legislative ducks in a row, then present something to the public. Boy, is that the wrong way to do things here. If you want to kill something dead, just let Fort Wayne and Allen County residents think you're trying to slide something by them.