Town Meetings Lauded By Some, Lamented By Others

Town meetings are to local government what juries are to courts. In them, the people speak for themselves and the "professionals" take a back seat.

While it is true that when we elect our local officials, we are putting our trust in them, it's also true, in any representative system, that we limit that trust. The opertating principle of the town meeting form of government and its hybrids is the diffusion of power. No one gets enough power for long enough to really do a lot of damage.
It's founded on a realistic view of human nature and in Connecticut, 375 years of experience.

One of the specific problems with town meetings is the long lead time for the call of the meeting, especially in towns that have such in their charters. For towns that operate under the state statutes, the lead time is more reasonable, with five days' notice for the meeting and a referendum (really an adjourned town meeting) that can be held as little as a week later.

In a political system in which we often find that special interest groups (the ones I don't subscribe to) and lobbyists have great influence, the direct representation of a town meeting is a rare jewel.

Those who see only its ineffeciency need to look again.

What could be wrong with residents being involved at the town level? The big problem is the "automatic" increases that are "mandated" by contracts. Of course, these budget increases are "untouchable."

Well, we should be looking closely at those contracts and the benefits that the employees get. How do they match up as compared to the private sector?

School budgets are also completely out of control, and quite honestly, they are not making the grade. Throwing more cash at school systems is not the answer. Can we now agree on at least THAT?

Then come the threats - budget cuts always target the items that pull at the heart - "seniors will loose their bus transportation, police officers will be pulled off the street, we'll have to close the library on weekends..."

In the 1970s Hartford teachers went on strike for more pay. It was AGAINST the law, they signed a CONTRACT that said they would NOT strike. Well at the time, maybe it was right for them to BREAK the LAW and strike for better pay, now it's time for town residents to step up.

Maybe we should break the law and only pay what we think is a reasonable tax amount?

As a native of Berlin it was very sad to see them eliminate the Town Meeting, that was one of the very reasons I moved to Maine along with the taxes which out grew my ability to pay since I retired. THEY DROVE ME OUT WITH THEIR HIGH TAXES after living in Berlin for 51 years!!!!!!!
Here we have reasonable town taxes I have a bigger house with more land for less than 1/2 the taxes. At this time we are preparing for out annual Town Meeting.

The initial budget season town meeting is useful. I get to hear the various branches of my town government plead their case, try to justify their budgets and answer citizen's questions. The next town meeting would be to vote on the final version of the budget or send it to referendum.

The biggest problem with approving a budget at a town meeting IS the lack of privacy. Yes, when it comes to voting at town meeting, the room is stacked, usually teachers (even if they aren't residents) and other municipal employees. In a small town, you sure don't want to vote against an education budget with your student's teachers sitting there. Repercussions happen. Your student becomes a target. If you vote down a general town budget, you may find your road last to be plowed or the fire department slow to respond, etc. Sure, you know they can't do that, but they may anyway.

A verbal yes or no vote is the worst form of voting. No roll call is taken and there is no way of knowing whether or not the participants are eligible to vote. No matter what, voters should have to provide proof of residency. A referendum is the only way to know what the majority of citizens believe. It also provides a greater time span for voters to get to the polls.

Town meetings are important, but voting needs to be done in private. Citizens are not all uninformed, just because they didn't attend a town meeting. Referendums are necessary and should be automatically done. Participation is always greater when we get to go to a private referendum.

"The number of referendums increased from 62 in 2004 to 73 in 2007."

73 towns adopted their final budget via a town referendum last year, but 80 towns had a budget referendum at some point in the budget process in 2007. For example, Berlin had a budget referendum but it is not counted in the 73 figure above since the final adoption method was via the Town Council.

There are expected to be more than 80 towns having a town budget referendum this budget season. If you include the Regional School District budget referendums, many more towns than that are affected by budget referendums.

The reason most of the opponents of Town Meetings don't like this type of government is that they don't like to be challenged. Period. Most government officials treat their citizenry with arrogance and duplicity. There is a lot of favoritism and obfuscation going around. If the taxpayers could wake up, they will with our economy, the governmental leaders would be more accountable. The towns would be run more effectively for the taxpayer thus lightening his and her burden. Not to mention the burden of the children. Thank you

The ones complaining, like the bureaucrat quoted in the article, don't like the fact they their power is limited. I love how he is moving to Boulder, a crazy, left-wing town. They sure love more government, and more control, there. Oops, I mean they are more progressive.

Town meetings are great and should be used in more places. Keep these politicans' a bureaucrats' feet to the fire.

the powder wig poliyical ways and out houses have to go just look at cromwell.sooner or later they have to realize there is electricity.

Fetherston hopes he's going to find a progressive way of governing in Colorado? Since when did the word "progressive" replace the word "socialist"? Well, maybe we'll get lucky and more of his ilk will follow. Go West, young liberals.

RWCowles wrote:

The reason most of the opponents of Town Meetings don't like this type of government is that they don't like to be challenged. Period. Most government officials treat their citizenry with arrogance and duplicity. There is a lot of favoritism and obfuscation going around. If the taxpayers could wake up, they will with our economy, the governmental leaders would be more accountable. The towns would be run more effectively for the taxpayer thus lightening his and her burden. Not to mention the burden of the children. Thank you

Your post brings to mind something I heard years ago...I think it was about a nail being hit squarely on its head.

Codger wrote:

Fetherston hopes he's going to find a progressive way of governing in Colorado? Since when did the word "progressive" replace the word "socialist"? Well, maybe we'll get lucky and more of his ilk will follow. Go West, young liberals.

But we all know small Town Politics can be as corrupt if not more then big City politics.

I'm sure there are enough stories to fill this comment board up!!!

Sometimes things are a little too tight - just look through out the Farmington Valley Towns.....What a shame!

In theory, town meetings are the purist form of local democracy. The downside of the town meeting is public apathy. Many issues are rammed own our throats due to "stacked" meetings by special interest groups. Want something special from the town? Get it on the agenda and load up a meeting.
At times, the town meeting does not work in the best interest of all concerned.

Corruption wrote:

<quoted text>
But we all know small Town Politics can be as corrupt if not more then big City politics.

Don't think anyone will argue that point. Corruption is to politics as statistics are to baseball.

Ed M wrote:

What a bunch or arrogant whiners!
These out of state blowhards who think they know more than everyone because THEY know what's best need a swift kick in the a$$.
When the ELECTORATE gives them a kick in the a$$ at a town meeting, they work their sick little insecure a$$es off trying to ban Town meetings!
Too damn bad that a "small group" of people show up at a town meeting and shove your ridiculouos budgets up your backsides!! If you didn't give them anything to bitch about, they'd stay home.
Once again, yet another $hitty article by the communist, left-leaning hartford courant.
Town Managers have essentially no ACCOUNTABILITY and the less accountability they have, the more the are free to act like dictators.
Amazing the things these $hitballs learn while they earn their Masters of Public Administration!!
Guess what the party affiliation of EVERY SINGLE professor in the UCONN MPA program is who is registered with a political party?

I guess I should have enrolled in the MBA program where I can work for Citibank or Coldwell and REALLY get rich by socking people for their money! I thought I was going into a field where I could help people and be a part of the solution, but apparently all you mud yankees just want to go back to living in the hills in a clapboard shack with no government. Since when was Connecticut a red state? I say, if you want the simple life with no services and right-leaning politics, move to West Virginia!

Of course they do not like it. It is an obstacle that prevents them from futher looting taxpayers.

Tax town residents until they have to work three jobs to keep their homes, and so that they do not have enough energy left to mind town affairs must less attend town meetings. Then pack the town meetings with town employees who vote themselves whatever they want. Tax slaves, revolt!

Less Than Sympathetic wrote:

<quoted text>
I guess I should have enrolled in the MBA program where I can work for Citibank or Coldwell and REALLY get rich by socking people for their money! I thought I was going , but apparently all you mud yankees just want to go back to living in the hills in a clapboard shack with no government. Since when was into a field where I could help people and be a part of the solutionConnecticut a red state? I say, if you want the simple life with no services and right-leaning politics, move to West Virginia!

Nope, I'm going to stay here and fight socialists like you who are ruining this state!!

If you want socialism and want the goverment to pay for everything for you then move to pretty much any European country where gas is $15.00 a gallon, few have real private sector jobs and if they do work in the private sector, they're lucky if they work 30 hours a week. Socialism has nearly destroyed countries like Germany, France and the like.

Connecticut used to be very smart thinking up until the 1960s. It's only recently that socialist S_C_U_M like you have gotten your way with bad public policy like Town Managers. I'll bet you're too young to remember that, right you little socialist twerp?

Bull$hit you wanted to go "into a field where I could help people and be a part of the solution." You're just another one of those a$$holes who wants everything for nothing and someone ELSE to pay for it. Face it, you're a socialist and socialists like big government and dictatorships which is exactly what Town Managers are! You LOVE "power" and glory and you just plain KNOW that you're smarter and better than everyone else, right?

And of course you're showing your true colors with you're post here, when a valid opinion is given that opposes yours, you get all nasty & personal and start talking down to people like me implying that we're some sort of hillbilly morons.

Like I said, I'm staying and can't wait for the day that the dopes in this state finally wake up and toss the liberal socialists out on their a$$es just like what happened in California under Gray Davis.

Mark my words, it WILL HAPPEN so my advice to a socialist like you is to get the fock out of here while you still have a chance because you are NOT going to like the results when the people in this state come back to reality which will be sooner than you think!

Less Than Sympathetic wrote:

<quoted text>
I guess I should have enrolled in the MBA program where I can work for Citibank or Coldwell and REALLY get rich by socking people for their money! I thought I was going into a field where I could help people and be a part of the solution, but apparently all you mud yankees just want to go back to living in the hills in a clapboard shack with no government. Since when was Connecticut a red state? I say, if you want the simple life with no services and right-leaning politics, move to West Virginia!

You need to grow a thicker layer of skin and stop taking things so personally.

Typical personality for a "Town Manager" LOL!

You can't make it in the real world so you get a bull$hit degree in liberal land with a bunch of liberals spoon-feeding you their ultra-left agenda.

You're pathetic.

A simple question.

How many times do these "so called experts" have to get it wrong before they stop being "experts"

If property taxes rise at a rate greater than inflation or wages and services dont match with the growth of any town...then those running a town can no longer be called an expert.

Get it right and we wont complain.

But stop calling yourselves experts.

We are the consumers of your services and if we arnt happy then you are not doing your jobs

Less Than Sympathetic wrote:

<quoted text>I thought I was going into a field where I could help people and be a part of the solution, but apparently all you mud yankees just want to go back to living in the hills in a clapboard shack with no government. Since when was Connecticut a red state? I say, if you want the simple life with no services and right-leaning politics, move to West Virginia!

Careful there, Symp. Your elitism is showing.