Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffk
I can understand the faults of SB2.
Responsible citizens should take time to understand the issues they are voting on. At a town level, the issues are not on TV or in many papers. Sometimes the only place you can learn about them is at town meeting.
If you are focused on the issue that school budgets are too big and you don't come to a town meeting, there is little chance you might hear the other side of the discussion. And vice versa.
As to the "tiny little group" that likes to "control" the town, isn't it just as likely that a budget that is sensible can be overridden by a group whose only purpose is to defeat that budget without further ado. With SB2, it's easy. No discussion. No exchange of ideas. Just vote it down. I have seen such things happen and at the next voting opportunity it is reversed because the impact of the cuts upsets so many people that they made sure they came out to vote the next time.
To be clear, I am not on either side of this spending discussion. I believe that town spending should be limited and that we are probably spending on things we shouldn't be. On the other hand, there are some things we DO need to spend on; even if it stretches our pocketbook somewhat. The only way to sort this out is to discuss it and ask questions. If you are too busy to attend a town meeting to listen and then vote, maybe what you are complaining about isn't all that important to you. If you find yourself outvoted all the time, maybe you are living in a town that just doesn't see things your way. That's the way democracy works, the majority gets what they want. The RIGHT WAY to change minds and votes is to present reasoned and persuasive discussion, not to drop vote bombs and scurry home.
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Although a SB2 town doesn't have a "town meeting" at which they vote on many of the articles, they do have a "deliberative session" before voting day where the taxpayers can become more informed and can propose changes to amendments if they want to. So this is where you have your "exchange of ideas". I agree, it's not easy to find out information, you have to work for it.