Is Anyone In Town Listening To 'We the People'.....

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PEOPLE SPEAK

On last November’s ballot was an Advisory Referendum Question: 

“Do the voters of the town of Lisbon wish to vote on an amendment to the Town Charter that, if enacted, would require voter approval at a referendum election for each annual Municipal Budget?” 

Over 2,000 voters responded by voting “YES” and a little over 500 voted “NO”. It was very apparent the majority of the voters in Lisbon desire to vote on the Municipal Budget every year.

A little history on this subject; both Councilor Roger Cote and Councilor Roger Bickford had been asking the rest of the council to put this on last November's ballot. 

 Councilor Roger Cote

 Councilor Roger Bickford

The rest of the council refused to incorporate this in the Charter Changes on last year’s ballot. Roger Cote spent his own money and hired a lawyer to write up the proposed change and the rest of the council refused to accept it. Roger Bickford had been gathering signatures on a petition, as directed by his fellow councilors, on this issue and presented the council with the overwhelming results in favor of voting on the Municipal Budget.

Had the council taken the appropriate action at that time, the people would be voting on this year’s municipal budget. Instead, the rest of the council forced the people to vote on the Advisory Referendum Question last November even after they had conclusive evidence in Roger Bickford’s petitions. This was the rest of the council’s method of delaying the process. 

Now, the people have spoken (last November) and the council is still delaying the people from getting to vote on this year’s municipal budget. According to the council, they have sent this to the town attorney to prepare the paperwork so the people of Lisbon can vote in November. I do not understand why the council has to send this to the town attorney when Roger Cote already spent his own money and presented the proper wording to the council over a year ago. Simply put another delaying tactic.

The people of Lisbon need to call their representative on the council and demand to vote on this year’s municipal budget. Force the council to take immediate action on the desires of the people. If you do not do this, this council will ignore and delay your right to vote on the municipal budget forever.

These council members are supposedly our representatives and need to respond to the people’s desires.

Larry Fillmore

Concerned Citizen

Originally Posted:  2012-04-06 18:23