The Lisbon Reporter

WELCOME TO THE LISBON REPORTER. In an effort to keep our community informed of what is going on at local and Federal levels of government, we decided to create this on-line newspaper. It is our hope that this on-line newspaper will help you stay informed so that you can get involved and take action for the benefit of our ENTIRE community. Thank you for visiting and please check back frequently for information about what is happening in LISBON/LISBON FALLS, MAINE USA

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Hey Lisbon, How Come We Cannot Vote On The Municipal Budget That We Voted On Telling The Councilors We Wanted To?

WHY CAN THE PEOPLE NOT VOTE ON MUNICIPAL BUDGET?

Councilor Roger Bickford

A review of the minutes of September 6, 2011 reveals some interesting facts that need to be addressed by the people. Please go to the town web site (http://www.lisbonme.org/vertical/sites/%7B23BCC392-4131-4737-99E0-6C6FCE7FB2A2%7D/uploads/09-06-2011_Final.pdf) to read what the council discussed pertaining to the people having the right to vote on the Municipal Budget. It starts on page 9 and continues on for several pages. Councilor LaRochelle stated in there he has heard about this for the past three years. That means, the people have been trying to vote on the Municipal Budget since 2008.

It is truly disgraceful when the people, whom these Councilors represent, have totally dismissed the wishes of the people. The Council decided to put a Referendum Question on the November 8, 2011 ballot to determine if the majority of the people really wanted to vote on the Municipal Budget.

The results were 2025 Yes and 514 No. From this point on, it should have been a no-brainer but instead the sitting Councilors at the time ignored the wishes of the people and took no action to provide what the majority of the people clearly wanted their representatives to do.

How much plainer could the desires of the people have been and yet the sitting Councilors did nothing? Councilors Bickford and Lunt are the only remaining Councilors.

Now according to Councilor Bickford, the people will vote in June on a Charter change to lower the requirements for a “people’s petition”. This is yet another delaying tactic by the Council.

Lowering the requirements for a “people’s petition” was never voted on and has absolutely nothing to do with the citizens of Lisbon voting on the Municipal Budget. Council Bickford knows perfectly well what the desires of the people are because he himself collected signatures from the people to vote on the Municipal Budget by Department.

Why is Councilor Bickford doing this to the people who elected him?

Why should it take six (6) years for the people to get what they want?

Since 2008, the sitting Councilors have been doing everything in their power to deny the people the right to vote on their Municipal Budget by Departments. It is time the people speak out and demand these current Councilors honor the wishes of the people.

Lowering the requirements on a “people’s petition” is NOT what the people asked the sitting council to do. The people expressed their desires to vote on the Municipal Budget by a majority of votes 2025 to 514. How much clearer do the people have to be?

Let’s put an end to the delaying tactics and give the people what they want. Six years is enough to wait for the right to vote by Departments on the Municipal Budget.

Larry Fillmore