Letter: Dem. Town Chair Pushes for Referendum on Fields Plan

Letter to the Editor:

Residents of Oxford will be asked to vote to approve the construction of athletic fields at the high school soon. This project is estimated to cost over $3 million. According to the town charter, any expenditure under 10 percent of the tax levy may be approved at a town meeting. Our current tax levy is  approximately $32.3 million. The fields project comes in under the 10 percent rule and technically doesn't require a vote by referendum only a town meeting.

It is my opinion that an expenditure of this magnitude should be put to a town referendum vote and not be approved by a relatively small percentage of residents who might attend a town meeting.  A referendum would provide a means for a much larger number of residents to vote their opinion on this project.

The charter also provides for an expenditure under the 10 percent rule to be brought to referendum by petition.  Two hundred signatures on a petition can force a referendum on this proposal. I ask our Selectmen to bring this project to a vote by referendum  rather than a vote by town meeting.

Regards,

Ann Krane

Oxford

Editor's Note: Miss Krane is chairwoman of the Oxford Democratic Town Committee.