One of the Bainbridge Island City Council’s newest members is hoping to give more power to the people.

Councilman Ron Peltier is asking his fellow council members to make Bainbridge Island an “initiative city,” which would give residents the power to pass legislation at the ballot box.

Peltier sent a letter to his fellow council members on April 12 in support of the change, and asked that the issue be added to the council’s agenda “at the earliest convenient date.”

In the letter, Peltier noted that 46 cities in Washington already allow initiatives from citizens, including Port Angeles, Olympia, Issaquah, Bellevue, Mercer Island, Ellensburg and Wenatchee.

“Bainbridge Island’s people are intelligent, passionate, creative and civic minded,” Peltier wrote in his letter to council colleagues. “They possess a wealth of ideas, abilities and a deep commitment to this place we call home.

“All too often, however, Bainbridge Islanders perceive a city government out of touch with the community and operating with a hidden agenda,” Peltier added. “Speaking as one elected official, I believe it’s time for us to do something about this disconnect. I believe it’s time for Bainbridge Island to become the 47th initiative code city in Washington state.”

Peltier noted that the proposal may have its critics from those worried that giving citizens initiative and referendum powers will undermine the authority of Bainbridge’s elected representatives.

“On the contrary, I see the initiative process as a way of challenging Bainbridge Islanders to share the responsibility of plotting our Island’s future and in the process making our job easier. The collective intelligence and good judgment of our citizens deserves to be entrusted with the power of initiative and referendum,” Peltier said in the letter.

In an April 2015 report by Municipal Research and Services Center, a nonprofit that offers guidance to Washington governments, the organization said the initiative powers are “direct democracy at its most fundamental level.”

The report said arguments in favor for initiative powers center on the belief that initiatives put pressure on public officials to act in the public interest and can help neutralize special interests and corruption.

Opponents, on the other hand, tend to argue that initiatives distill complex issues into “yes” or “no” decisions for the public, and also undercut representative government by taking legislative power out of the hands of the people elected to make decisions.

Peltier said Tuesday his proposal wasn’t in response to any recent decision by the council and said the suggestion wasn’t meant as any sort of criticism of Bainbridge council members.

Instead, it’s something he’s been talking about with community members since last year.

Peltier also said the initiative city idea isn’t something he’s already talked to council members about, so it may take some by surprise.

He added that, if the move is eventually adopted by the council, it may result in future initiatives that he personally doesn’t support.

“I trust the community to vote and make good decisions,” he said.