Recall Fahey Committee not releasing signature tally

[Omaha Steve]

Marta and I moved out of Omaha in Nov of 06. We couldn't sign even if we wanted to. I don't understand why not just wait and vote against the mayor next spring and save a lot of tax money.

OS

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10303920

Published Tuesday | April 8, 2008
Recall Fahey Committee not releasing signature tally
BY KAREN SLOAN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The petition drive to recall Mayor Mike Fahey is at the halfway point, but it is unclear how close those behind the effort are to gathering the 21,734 signatures needed to force a vote.

Leaders of the Recall Fahey Committee said Monday that they would not release any updates on the number of signatures they have collected until they have turned in their petitions to the Douglas County Election Commissioner's Office on April 22.

In a statement released Monday, Recall Fahey Chairman Greg Lyons said that individuals were circulating a large number of petitions and that the group had no way to gauge the number of signatures on petitions that hadn't been turned in.

Lyons also said there would be no benefit to releasing the number of signatures before the petitions' due date.

The group began collecting signatures two weeks ago. It has set up signing tables throughout the city as well as going door to door.

Lyons said 1,150 petitions had been distributed. He picked up an additional 300 petitions from the election office Monday.

The Election Commissioner's Office will make sure the signatures are from registered voters who live in Omaha. Lyons has said he hopes to collect at least 26,000 signatures to ensure that there are enough valid ones.

Members of the group say they are unhappy with Fahey's handling of the proposed downtown baseball stadium, city finances and other issues.

In a defense statement included on the petitions, Fahey says that he hasn't raised the city's property tax rate in six years, has prioritized public safety and has strengthened neighborhoods.