An attempt by city government to grant itself broad new powers incited a successful voter rebellion in Troutdale [Oregon] this March. A special election created an overwhelming defeat of a city measure to establish an urban renewal district to function under total control of the Portland suburb's mayor and city council. A feisty Troutdale citizen, Roman York, led a citizens' effort to collect enough voter signatures to refer somewhat subversively-created city ordinances to a vote of the people via a public ballot measure....resulted in over 73% of those voting saying no to the city's plan. York's activist group, Americans for...
