GOOD GOVERNMENT
Support for basic standards of good government
The League of Women Voters of Oklahoma (LWVOK) believes that government should be representative, responsive, efficient, flexible, and accountable. The structure of government should be flexible enough to provide for increasing and changing needs. Close coordination of government at all levels is desirable. Overlapping of functions and duplication of services should be eliminated.
Government should guarantee every citizen:
- Equal access to legislative and administrative processes,
- Equal and adequate service, equitably financed, and
- Geographic as well as at-large representation.
The structure of government should:
- separate legislative and administrative functions and establish an effective set of checks and balances between the two,
- vest final responsibility in a chief executive to assure priority setting, long-range planning, and coordination of departments,
- provide for a merit system for government employees, and
- provide for the initiative, the referendum, and the recall of public officials.
BACKGROUND
The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Tulsa (LWVMT) adopted this position in the 1960's and has used it most recently to take positions on proposed changes to the City of Tulsa charter. In the discussion preceding the vote on this issue, concern was expressed over the fact that there is no mention of the judiciary in this description. Although there was general agreement that the statement might be revised at some future time, the position was adopted by concurrence by the LWVOK at its June 6, 2015 Convention.
Adopted by Concurrence 2015
