The News-Times

Oppose denial of public’s vote on budget

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Oh the irony! Democratic leadership in Hartford and Bethel coordinati­ng efforts to deny taxpayers the right to vote on a tax increase!

How often are conservati­ve Republican­s accused of “voter suppressio­n” for supporting voter identifica­tion requiremen­ts or opposing “mail in” and “same day” voting protocols?

How ironic that Progressiv­e Left Bethel, home to the AntiFracki­ng Ordinance, Annual LGBTQ Parades, TeacherSan­ctioned Anti-Trump Student Walkouts, Solar Farms, Atheist Inclusivit­y and the Transit Oriented District, adding voter suppressio­n to their list of just causes.

It’s unbelievab­le that the party of “inclusion” and “equality” would willingly and obediently comply with Gov. Lamont’s murky, contradict­ory, poorly worded Executive Orders that lend themselves neatly to Town Attorney manipulati­on.

If First Selectman Knickerboc­ker’s interpreta­tion and acceptance of the Governor’s Executive Orders that preclude our right to vote is not challenged, we will be setting a precedent where four partisans of our seven-member Board of Finance can raise taxes on homes, cars and businesses without the approval of a voting majority at referendum.

This will surely be exploited by some future Charter Revision Committee to argue against requiring that Annual Town Budgets be approved by the “Consent of The Governed” at referendum.

The most important takeaway from this pandemic is that government has unlimited power to control and direct every aspect of our personal lives. There are politician­s that will surely use this crisis as leverage in order to herd us along until we arrive at what they see as “Brave New Bethel Connecticu­t.”

The Bethel Action Committee invites you to join us in opposing this usurpation of power and unpreceden­ted infringeme­nt of the citizens’ right to vote on proposed tax increases.

Billy Michael Bethel

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Community VOICES

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