(my apologies to Steve Earle) Now that the New Braunfels City Council has passed its infamous container ban ordinance, many people are trying to find a way that they can get involved in the effort to repeal it. I received phone calls this week from some guys who are pretty plugged into the repeal effort and who could use your help.
First, I spoke with Shane Wolf. Shane is a part of the effort to collect signatures for a petition to put a referendum on the November ballot which would allow voters to repeal the ordinance. When I spoke to him, the folks he is was working with were getting their proverbial ducks in a row to start referendum petitions circulating. They were also working feverishly to get info up on their Facebook page about where people could sign petitions, as well as volunteer for the petition drive. These folks are darting around like a bunch of rabid ferrets in heat, not only because they are upset about the ordinance, but also because they face a huge time crunch. In order to get a referendum placed on the November ballot, they must collect and file approximately 2000 valid signatures by Wednesday of next week. In other words, this is EPIC.
If they pull it off, their effort will go down in history as the Mother of All New Braunfels Petition Drives. Shane said that if you want to sign a referendum petition, or pitch in, go to his group’s Facebook page entitled “Sign the Referendum to Recall the New Braunfels Container Ban Ordinance.” Later that same day, I got a call from Ben O’Neil, who runs Corner Tubes. Ben is frustrated with the City Council because he sees the anti-littering rhetoric as a ruse for an alcohol ban. His told me how his staff at Corner Tubes has put in many long hours over the summer performing their own river clean-ups.
Ben feels that if trash cleanup was the real motive behind the ordinance, then the City would have enlisted the outfitters as allies a long time ago. Ben is also skeptical that a petition drive alone will be enough to both kill the ordinance and bring sanity to river use rules. He emphasized that the real key is to make sure that people who love tubing and the rivers get out to the polls on election day. He told me he wants to build a voter registration campaign to encourage young people and new residents to casts ballots against the ordinance, as well as to participate in council elections.
You can contact Corner Tubes, and Ben, at (830) 626-6687 or at cornertubes.com. Guys, this ordinance won’t repeal itself. It’s time to get your butts out of your tubes and get into the fray. If you live within the city limits of New Braunfels, and aren’t registered to vote, contact the Comal County Elections Office and get registered. If you are registered, sign a repeal petition. If you don’t live in New Braunfels, but still care about tubing and the the rivers, you can still donate your time and your voice. Go volunteer. Go show these guys some love on your own blogs, Facebook pages, and websites so that the word gets spread. And, as always, Tube Free or Die...