I am a Durham resident and am sick and tied of the BOE continually using the referendum process as their own personal toilet. They are continually perverting the purity of this democratic process to their own means and agenda. The voting is just a formality - it holds little weight. This is clearly evidenced by resubmitting budgets that were voted down (as in the past) and structuring the referendum questions so that it gives voters little latitude in how to vote. Their biggest compliant about the bond issue was that they didn't want to submit multiple bonds because of the incurred expense. So be it. But why could they just ask multiple referendum questions in such a way that would illuminate what the majority truly wanted. Then form one bond based on the result. For example, they could have posed three questions:
1) Do you wish to replace the roof and wells (Y or N),
2) Do you wish to replace the roof and wells and replace the Track/Tennis courts as is (Y or N), 3) Everything in 1 & 2 plus the sports complex (Y or N).
Done and simple, and no chance to misinterpret a No vote. Do you want to know why these very intelligent people did not come up with this simple concept? They knew that the first two questions would have passed and the third WOULD NOT. I for one would have voted for 1 & 2. I looked at the track and courts and they are beyond repair they need to be replace and it is an important sport for the kids. You see what the BOE is very good at is giving the illusion of wanting feedback from its constituents, but they really have their own roadmap. They think they know what is best for us, because we are just… as in the words of the movie “Blazing Saddles” ‘people of the land … you know morons’. Actually you guys in Middlefield had a chance to improve your lot, by voting like Durham in your own Charter makeover when we decided to elect BOE members in the November election. But you drop the ball and now Durham doesn’t have the District support nor the momentum to see that through. So you blew us both out of the water.
In conclusion, when the BOE takes away the citizen’s voice, suppress freedoms, and turns a blind eye to the truth, nobody wins whatever the voting outcome.
The BOE distorts the democratic process
I am a Durham resident and am sick and tied of the BOE continually using the referendum process as their own personal toilet. They are continually perverting the purity of this democratic process to their own means and agenda. The voting is just a formality - it holds little weight. This is clearly evidenced by resubmitting budgets that were voted down (as in the past) and structuring the referendum questions so that it gives voters little latitude in how to vote. Their biggest compliant about the bond issue was that they didn't want to submit multiple bonds because of the incurred expense. So be it. But why could they just ask multiple referendum questions in such a way that would illuminate what the majority truly wanted. Then form one bond based on the result. For example, they could have posed three questions:
1) Do you wish to replace the roof and wells (Y or N),
2) Do you wish to replace the roof and wells and replace the Track/Tennis courts as is (Y or N), 3) Everything in 1 & 2 plus the sports complex (Y or N).
Done and simple, and no chance to misinterpret a No vote. Do you want to know why these very intelligent people did not come up with this simple concept? They knew that the first two questions would have passed and the third WOULD NOT. I for one would have voted for 1 & 2. I looked at the track and courts and they are beyond repair they need to be replace and it is an important sport for the kids. You see what the BOE is very good at is giving the illusion of wanting feedback from its constituents, but they really have their own roadmap. They think they know what is best for us, because we are just… as in the words of the movie “Blazing Saddles” ‘people of the land … you know morons’. Actually you guys in Middlefield had a chance to improve your lot, by voting like Durham in your own Charter makeover when we decided to elect BOE members in the November election. But you drop the ball and now Durham doesn’t have the District support nor the momentum to see that through. So you blew us both out of the water.
In conclusion, when the BOE takes away the citizen’s voice, suppress freedoms, and turns a blind eye to the truth, nobody wins whatever the voting outcome.
Post new comment