Politics & Government

Resident Revisits Idea of Advisory Question on Budget Ballot

Do you think residents should be able to voice whether they think a budget is too high or too low?

Should voters be enabled to indicate whether a budget it too high or too low on the budget referendum ballot?

Avon resident Ernest Ehrhardt reminded the Board of Finance of the idea of an at its Nov. 28 meeting.

“Originally I had brought up in the budget process with the council the fact that I thought it would be appropriate, in case of a no vote, to allow someone to indicate whether they thought the budget was too high or too low,” Ehrhardt said.

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His daughter, Avon resident Elaine Nord spoke at the October Board of Finance meeting on his behalf about the idea, but Chairman Thomas Harrison (R) said that research into the suggestion was impeded by the Oct. 29 snowstorm.

Towns in the immediate area do not have advisory questions, Town Manager Brandon Robertson said.

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“There were several other instances of communities downstate doing that, but it’s not a common practice by any stretch,” Robertson said.

Finance board member William Hooper (R), who is finishing up his term, asked for Ehrhardt’s rationale.

“I think in the past, particularly last year, and a number of years before this, and I’ve been in town more than 10 years now, there has always been a question, generally to the education budget. Ehrhardt said. “When it’s voted down and people vote no, it comes back to your board, it would seem to me that you would look for some direction instead of always reducing the budget…. It would seem the people would be more satisfied if they were allowed to give you direction.”

If a budget fails, how much input should voters be able to give the Board of Finance?

“Should it maybe go one step further?” Hooper asked. “How far should we take this? Should we say, town side is too high or too low? Education side is too high or too low? Should it be four questions? And you can keep expanding on that?.... I think that is the quandary this board is going to have. Do you go six, seven or eight questions out?”

Ehrhardt pointed to the education budget as the main component people focus on when voting, though Hooper said there have also been questions about the town side of the budget, as well.

“We need brush pickup, we don’t need brush pickup. One example,” Hooper said.

Then there’s the question of whether both yes and no voters would answer the advisory question or just the no voters.

While the town has not made any decisions on the matter at this time, Robertson said that he would review the most updated information he has on the topic.


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