To Sanbornton voters wanting SB2, many reasons that you don’t like to go or can’t to town meeting, you’d rather a ballot vote alone in a booth. With SB2 you still get a meeting, called deliberative session. Around the state, these have far lower attendance than a town meeting. You still wouldn’t go. At it you’d hear explanations of warrant articles and supporting reasons, also cons. Numbers, usually associated with spending, might get changed. Avoiding that meeting, it’s on you to get a town report to see the same warrant articles that will be on the ballot.
I went to a neighboring town with SB2. Their March ballot is posted. Their 17 warrant articles, in regular print in town report, are much smaller print on the ballot, both sides needed. Take a magnifying glass? The ballot paper still needs to go through the counting machine. You would have had to study what you read in town report and make a list of your yes/no decisions. I asked that clerk-on-duty if they get more “no” votes (loaded question from me!) because people give up? She said, “That seems to be the case, if voters don’t do their research.” Not understanding or unable to read? Of course a “no” makes sense. The work your town employees, chiefs, agents do for the town starts to be underfunded. Sanbornton’s key services are now less effective. You have new complaints. Maybe town meeting with thoughtful, group-scrutiny by the voters was a good thing.
Lynn Rudmin Chong
Sanbornton