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AND NOW, THE REST OF THE STORY!
When the wise men, who were the Charter Commission wrote our town Charter they needed some protection to ensure the Charter was not abused. The idea was to make sure the integrity and Charter remained intact at all costs. In order to do this, the Charter Commission included safeguards with provisions that allowed the people to keep from making changes.
Part 2, Initiative and Referendum, Part 3, Recall and Part 4, Special Town Meeting are the provisions of the Charter that outline the procedures for the people to change our Charter; recall a councilor and decisions by our Town Council on the budget. For Part 2 and Part 3, the Charter Commission included a special safeguard to ensure that it would be impossible for the people to change anything. This provision states under Section 8.26 Results of Election in paragraph a, “… is at least equal to 30% of the total number of qualified voters who cast votes for Governor in the most recent gubernatorial election…” for Part 2.
Part 2, Initiative and Referendum, Part 3, Recall and Part 4, Special Town Meeting are the provisions of the Charter that outline the procedures for the people to change our Charter; recall a councilor and decisions by our Town Council on the budget. For Part 2 and Part 3, the Charter Commission included a special safeguard to ensure that it would be impossible for the people to change anything. This provision states under Section 8.26 Results of Election in paragraph a, “… is at least equal to 30% of the total number of qualified voters who cast votes for Governor in the most recent gubernatorial election…” for Part 2.
For Part 3 it reads in Section 8.31d “…An official shall be recalled when a majority of those voting thereon shall have voted in the affirmative so long as the total number of votes cast for and against recall is at least equal to 30% of the total number of qualified voters who cast votes for Governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. “
In order to meet this requirement, there has to be at least 1,177 voters who come out to vote. In the most recent gubernatorial election, 3,922 voters turned out and cast their votes; so 30% of that number is 1,177. On June 11, 2013 there were 467 voters out of 6596 registered voters turned out to cast their vote. As you can see 467 is a far cry from the 1,177 which would mean that any change for Part 2 & 3 would NOT have been passed regardless of the majority of voters’ decision because it would not be a valid election.
Now for Part 4, Special Town meeting the requirement is just as high but the stipulation changed slightly. Section 8.46 a, states “…so long as the total number of votes cast for or against the budget article at the special Town meeting is at least 250…”. As you can see, this number is smaller but the reason the town did away with Town Meeting was because no one was showing up.
These stipulations are added to the end of the petitions process. This means the people can go through the entire process only to fail in the end because they do not have enough votes to meet these requirements. This is just another way to protect change to our Charter or our Town Council.
Two Priests, a Nun, a Rabbi and the Pope could not get enough voters to turn out to meet these ridiculous requirements.
Larry Fillmore
For those wanting to read the Charter for themselves click on the following: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=13348
In order to meet this requirement, there has to be at least 1,177 voters who come out to vote. In the most recent gubernatorial election, 3,922 voters turned out and cast their votes; so 30% of that number is 1,177. On June 11, 2013 there were 467 voters out of 6596 registered voters turned out to cast their vote. As you can see 467 is a far cry from the 1,177 which would mean that any change for Part 2 & 3 would NOT have been passed regardless of the majority of voters’ decision because it would not be a valid election.
Now for Part 4, Special Town meeting the requirement is just as high but the stipulation changed slightly. Section 8.46 a, states “…so long as the total number of votes cast for or against the budget article at the special Town meeting is at least 250…”. As you can see, this number is smaller but the reason the town did away with Town Meeting was because no one was showing up.
These stipulations are added to the end of the petitions process. This means the people can go through the entire process only to fail in the end because they do not have enough votes to meet these requirements. This is just another way to protect change to our Charter or our Town Council.
Two Priests, a Nun, a Rabbi and the Pope could not get enough voters to turn out to meet these ridiculous requirements.
Larry Fillmore
For those wanting to read the Charter for themselves click on the following: http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=13348
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