Should the Greenfield City Council have another bite at the apple? (Ah, er, that would be the referendum signatures apple!) … No, not at this time!
Last November, the council asked voters whether to change how many signatures are required for a referendum question. We answered no, leave it as is.
So … when would be too soon to raise that question again? Would the next month have been too soon? Yes.
Would the next decade be too soon? Nope. A review every 10 years is what our city charter calls for.
Is now too soon? Yes. For cryin’ out loud, we voted only 11 months ago.
The council voted last week to create an Ad Hoc Committee to review both our Citizen Initiative Measures and Citizen Referendum Procedures, (Charter Sections 7-7 & 7-8).
Reviewing the part of 7-8 we voted on last year just doesn’t make sense, it’s too darn soon. Reviewing the rest of 7-8 might make sense. However, the committee allows review of all Citizen Referendum Procedures. I think it would be wiser to avoid even the possibility of recommendations that would contradict the will of the voters.
I thank councilors who acknowledge that the will of the voters must not be undone. I respectfully request the full council take great care to honor the majority vote of the citizens. Change the ‘charge’ to the new committee. Require all Ad Hoc Committee recommendations to be entirely consistent with the November 2021 ballot outcome.
The voters have spoken. The citizen vote last November finalized the 2020 charter review of the number of signatures required for citizen referendum petitions. Leave those referendum signature requirements alone!
Gary Seldon
Greenfield