Empower Our Neighborhoods appeared in New Jersey Superior Court at the Middlesex County Courthouse earlier this afternoon as part of their case against the New Brunswick City Council and City Clerk Daniel Torrissi for rejecting their ballot initiative in July.  A group of dozens of faithful supporters came out to show their support for EON and our efforts to change the way our City Council members are elected.

EON and the petitioners were represented today by Renee Steinhagen of New Jersey Appleseed, a nonprofit who spearheaded EON's legal efforts to fight the City.  EON is hopeful that the honorable Judge Heidi Currier will find that Ms. Steinhagen's arguments were far more convincing and logical than the obscure statutes and technicalities cited by the defendants.

Judge Currier has the power to ensure our questions appear on the ballot this November.  Both of EON's questions were presented to thousands of citizens in June, most of whom signed our petition to put them to a public vote.  A decision to hold up the invalidation would deprive 1,116 registered New Brunswick voters of their right to bring such questions to vote of the public.

Ms. Steinhagen said in court that the flimsy arguments presented by the defendants only served to show "the extent to which the municipality is opposed to the questions posed by the petitioners."  It is clear at this point that the powers that be in New Brunswick do not want change and, in fact, that they will do all they can to prevent it in such a volatile election this November.

Win or lose, EON is continuing the fight for democracy in New Brunswick.  Stay tuned to empowernb.com for the latest in our ongoing (but nearly complete) legal battle.