Will The Council

Thwart The People’s Will?

To the Editor:

All eyes are on the Legislative Council this coming Wednesday when they address the people’s petition to vote on the charter changes. One may think that having well over the minimum of 1,400 signatures from registered voters would all but assure the people’s desire to vote on this in November, but not necessarily. The Legislative Council chairman is assumed to have this item on his September 5 agenda, based on formal requests by other council members. Great! I do hope they take care of the people’s business by voting to have the petitioned charter changes on the ballot on November 6.

It would, however, be a major disgrace if the council allows this petitioned ballot item to miss the Secretary of the State’s deadline of September 6. This deadline is for submittal of all ballot items to be on the November 6 vote. Yes, that is correct, the people may not see this petitioned item this November. In fact, who knows when the Legislative Council will choose to put the item to a vote by the people?

It is this man’s opinion that the people of Newtown, the near 1,700 of whom signed the petition, and all the rest of us who care enough to have our vote counted, deserve to be heard on this issue this November 6. The charter changes, in its entirety, represent a very long overdue change to how the people of Newtown have their town affairs managed. It stresses accountability, efficiency, and financial management. The sooner we can make this change to governmental process, the better.

Call your Legislative Council representatives and make your position known. Hold them responsible for their performance on this matter.

Dedicated Citizen

Kevin J. O’Neill

28 Washbrook Road, Newtown                                August 29, 2001