Winthrop Seeks Petition/Referendum Changes: Why?

You're right, Scott. There must be much more to this story.

There is.... fair disclosure... I am a resident and sit on a town board/committee........

Last year there was a proposal for a housing project to be built that as it developed turned out to be far different than what was the original presentation.

A small group of folks didn't like that the council, planning board, etc (basicly small appointed or elected committee's, etc) could "rule" on behalf of the entire town - dispite the fact that there are fair hearings, appeals, etc. The group wants the change the charter to basicly require direct election style voting of the town on just about anything that comes before the council or another board on matters of town business and charter enforcement.

Imagine the future if you didn't like that you didn't get a zoning exemption so you got enough signatures and forced a vote on it town wide......

I wonder how Bill Randall will utilize this policy change?

Lets get past the vote on the 27th and then go from there.

Nascar - thanks for the input, and backstory on this issue.

Can you just see it now, if John Q. Public had to vote on every project that comes before the planning board? Never mind the ridiculous amount of referendum costs, the staff time required would eventually bankrupt the town.

nascar -

Thank you. Wouldn't it make more sense to work to elect better people to the council? If a majority of Winthrop residents don't like what the Town Council is doing - why not get better people to run for the positions and work hard to elect them?

skf

Scott - you would think that running for office or seeking an appointment would be what most folks think of for ways to evoke change...... apparently for a small group they don't really want to be on the hot seat... they just want to toss gas on the fire now and again for those that do serve the town.

Naran- you are right - the danger of this is that noone knows what it could turn into - there is a very real chance that everytime you didn't like a ruling of a council action you just had to get enough signatures and it goes out for a vote. Even if there were other limits/process added the effect is still the same. You are taking the knowledge and experience of a committee/board/council/etc and bypassing the reason for having those folks and processes in place to begin with.

Will be interesting to see how folks vote in a couple weeks on the bond project, if it is close or fails then it might be an indication of the mood of folks to consider these two petitions.

Any follow-up on this issue?

In the meantime:

By STEVE CARTWRIGHT
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel Monday, June 25, 2007

WINTHROP -- Calling her property tax unfair and unrealistic, Sharon Sylvester of Lower Narrows Pond said she will challenge the figures a Massachusetts appraisal firm has tagged on her waterfront home.

To wit, the value of her land, minus the raised ranch, shot from $54,100 to $258,600.

That means her property taxes, even with Winthrop's lowered rates, will double to more than $4,000 per year.

By Now, Vision Appraisal Must Be in the Multi-Billions From What They've Made in Maine

After reading this thread I went to the town office and talked with the town manager, town clerk and code enforcement about this issue.

Here is the petition wording: First Petition, The number of signatures required to initiate a referendum to overrule Council action under Section 901.2 of the town charter, or to initiate a referendum on the adoption of an ordinance under Section 902 of the Charter, shall be reduced from not less than 25% of the votes in the last gubernatorial election to not less than 5% of the voters in the last gubernatorial election.

Second Petition: Section 902 of the Town Charter shall be amended by adding a sentence at the end thereof stating that ordinances adopted by referendum may only be amended or repealed by referendum.

The group that started this has agreed to have the referendum put on the Nov. ballot instead of a special referendum vote.

There will be discussion on this topic during the Sept. council meeting.

Mark - I give your town council credit for sending the petitions to a vote by the residents, since they were certified as valid by the town clerk. Let the voters decide.

We couldn't get the "privilege" of a vote on our citizen petition in Kennebunk, despite our petition likewise being legally certified as valid.

I believe that the waters need to be waded in with extreme caution. Yes it is good to see that the town is allowing the petition to move forward but is it going to be a good thing if passed. It would make it all too easy for referendums and what if the next group/s won't wait to get the ballots out. What is the cost going to be just because you have a small group doesn't like a project? If these people took a more active role by attending planning board meetings or town council meetings when something like this first starts, there would be a better informed committee as well as residents.

This project like so many others is being protested by the few. They don't want it in their neighborhood but understands the need for affordable housing. Like all too many towns here, they want more businesses and the tax revenue it would generate without putting a strain on the schools and other services but not in their back yard or neighborhood.

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