Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt is not out of the wood yet — opponents are preparing to circulate a recall petition. It’s an effort that’s been underway for the past five weeks. That’s when Mayor Schmitt survived a city council vote to remove him from office.
The momentum began after Schmitt pleaded guilty to 3 misdemeanor counts of campaign finance law violations. “We feel we have the right number. We’ll be going forward,” said alderman Guy Zima, a longtime thorn in the Mayor’s side. Once formal paperwork is filed, organizers have 60 days to collect nearly 9,000 valid voter signatures to force the recall.
Alderperson Barbara Dorff doesn’t want to go there. “I think it will again cause a lot of upheaval in the city,” she said. “I think it’s unfortunate, but I think it’s the right of the people to do it.”
Schmitt says he’s not going anywhere. He’s got a State of the City speech next week, and plans to stay in office through 2019.
WTAQ