The clock is ticking for Mayor Adrian Fenty to block critics of his school takeover plan from launching a petition drive to put the initiative on the ballot.
Fenty had 10 days, starting Sunday, to persuade the courts to terminate the referendum effort.
If his expected legal challenge fails, his opponents then would try to collect the 20,000 signatures of registered voters they’ll need to include the issue of public school control on a special election ballot. The challenge period ends June 5.
“I feel put upon that this mayor will not let me vote on what happens in the school system,” Mary Spencer, who leads the referendum charge, said Tuesday during a news conference.
Fenty took no legal action Tuesday, and a mayoral spokeswoman said the Office of the Attorney General has yet to determine the exact date.
Just as the U.S. Senate last week unanimously adopted Fenty’s school takeover bill, which still awaits President Bush’s signature, the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics authorized Spencer to press forward with a referendum on the issue — if she can collect 20,000 valid signatures.
The elections board could issue the referendum petitions as soon as June 6, which would give Spencer about five days to initiate a signature-gathering effort. Charles Turner of DC Acorn, a community group backing Spencer, said supporters will “plug into existing groups” to find volunteers and assign ward coordinators. They are marshaling through the Web site letmevote.org.
“We’re just going to act like it’s a campaign,” Turner said. “We’re going to branch out.”
