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A Choice on the Ballot

As we consider the alternatives for the best future form of government for the Town of Madison, let’s ask ourselves, “Who benefits?” Do the electors benefit, or do the partisan elected officials benefit?

The lack of participation by the more than 13,000 electors in the Town Meeting form of government has been a fact for the past 20 to 25 years. Also, the past two town meetings were dominated by a special interest group that raised the needed quorum of 75 electors.

Over the past 10 to 15 years, the boards of Selectmen and Finance have achieved success, by default, of passing of more than 30 off-budget special appropriations. Would this have occurred if the legislative body was a town council or a representative town meeting (or a hybrid) of well-informed elected representatives?

In November 2015, the Madison electors rejected a charter that continued the broken town meeting form of government, 1,322 “Yes” and 2,197 “No.” Why is the current Charter Review Committee repeating this no-choice action? Why do it again? Who benefits if it is defeated again?

The town government should be led by a trained professional, as is the school system. A three-year contract is the usual term in Connecticut. The additional cost, above that of the first selectmen, is in the range of $75,000. That would not significantly affect the $25-million-plus town budget’s impact on the mill rate.

I hope the Charter Review Committee members will find in their hearts to permit the Madison electors to have a choice on the ballot of a revised town meeting form of government and a representative form with a professionally trained chief executive.

Gus Horvath

Madison