Opponents of the charter revision questions appearing on the November ballot are urging residents to vote them down because they negatively impact school children and will strip away their voting rights.
“We feel these charter revisions will give the public less power to exercise their vote,” said Eileen Straiton, who chairs the Brookfield Parent Alliance.
In addition to voting on a ballot question asking voters to amend the state charter, Brookfield voters will be asked to amend the town charter to allow residents to separately vote for the town and education budget and establish an office of town moderator to moderate town meetings. Currently, residents can vote to separate the town and school board budgets and a moderator is selected by residents at every town meeting.
Straiton’s group is opposed to the questions because it would strip away residents’ voting rights. Her group is against permanently separating the town and school budget because it will give those in town who are anti-education more opportunities to vote down school board budgets. She also feels establishing a permanent town moderator would limit the say residents have in how local government business is conducted.
Republican First Selectman Bill Tinsley said the charter revision changes were unanimously approved by the Board of Selectman and the Charter Revision Commission.
Tinsley said the changes would make sure all residents have the ability to express their opinion on government matters and not only those who show up at town meetings.
“Right now a small number of people attend town meetings,” he said. “We want more choices available to residents.”