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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
 Posted - 10/20/2011 : 6:48:33 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by justme
quote:
Originally posted by Tails
I heard 300 absentees have been received already. How it possible for even one of those absentees to vote on charter (either way) without the packet being mailed out? Something is not right. That is one part that the Secretary of State needs to be informed of. This city has a history with absentee ballots.
People here have said they're voting yes/no on the charter & they don't have the packet either so what's the difference?
Your right, people here are saying how they are going to vote, and probably people with computer access too. Others are seeing one side with that talk show that Paul Schlosberg and Dottie Martin-Long did with ECTV. People that are against the Charter were not given equal opportunity. That was not fair to people that rely on what they see on ECTV and are not given ample opportunity to read this big packet. Of course I'm referring to people that do not have online access, and have been waiting for that in the mail.
I know for myself, until I sit down and read (not online) but at a desk, that’s when something will stand out to me. I think most of us are not going to print it either, and shouldn’t, since by law we all receive one in the mail.
It should have been mailed to us long ago, there’s no excuse other than the fact they don’t want people to read the fine print. I’m sorry, I am not happy with the people that were elected on that commission and the games that were played. The City has already received 300 absentee ballots? That sounds one sided to me.
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2011 : 10:21:04 PM
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| While I agree the charter information should probably have been mailed out earlier (I'm in ward 1 & don't have mine yet) I don't see where the problem is. Many of us have already decided whether we're going to vote yea or nae based on what information we've read or heard about & there's no reason to believe those that voted via absentee ballot are any less informed. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2011 : 10:38:27 PM
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I don't know, for many of the absentee voters this is probably the first election they are voting in. Many candidates play the absentee game now. The absentee ballot is no longer used only for the disabled and voters who won't be in the area. The absentee's has become an issue in our election over the past several years.
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2011 : 08:39:59 AM
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There may be some abuse of the absentee ballots but I guess I'm looking at it differently. Many people seem to believe the high number is because candidates (or their supporters) are assisting new &/or elderly voters & cheating in the process. I think it's people taking advantage of the system by voting absentee & over the counter for convenience.
I work with a woman who votes over the counter regularly because she & her husband can go when it works for them. The first time I became aware of it she told me that way they didn't have to stand in line or worry about the weather!! |
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waterboy
Senior Member
101 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2011 : 08:58:49 AM
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| AS OF YESTERDAY NO MAILING FOR THE CHARTER LIKE I STATED I LIVE IN WARD THREE, SO WHERE DID THE 19 GRAND GO FOR THE MAILING CALLING THE GALVINS OFFICE TODAY |
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Fran
Senior Member
250 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2011 : 09:28:59 AM
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| I'll be voting for the Charter. One of the components I like is an elected official has to be out of office for one year before they can accept a City position and get on the payroll. Unlike say, Dave Ravenesi who made $7500 as an Alderman and 30 days later head's up the DPW at a huge salary. Then he combines his years of service with highest three salary years to get a nice pension. This practice adds up and creates a long-term burden to the tax payers. |
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2011 : 11:17:32 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Fran
I'll be voting for the Charter. One of the components I like is an elected official has to be out of office for one year before they can accept a City position and get on the payroll. Unlike say, Dave Ravenesi who made $7500 as an Alderman and 30 days later head's up the DPW at a huge salary. Then he combines his years of service with highest three salary years to get a nice pension. This practice adds up and creates a long-term burden to the tax payers.
Nuzzo's doing it now.......... But that's only one part of the Charter. There are too many other things that don't work.
I was in favor of the Charter change but, as much as I wanted to see it happen, it just doesn't work for me. I'm afraid we're going to have to start again & vote for only those people we've never heard of in hopes of keeping the political hacks out of it. |
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Baby Huey
Member
95 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2011 : 1:13:26 PM
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| I received mine a few weeks ago, a few days after it was discussed at the meeting. Not sure why some people are getting them and others are not. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2011 : 1:22:17 PM
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| I received mine a week ago but I do know people who have not received it. |
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cozulady
Senior Member
165 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2011 : 1:32:37 PM
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| Heard some were addressed to Chelsea addresses--streets on the city line. |
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Tails
Administrator
2682 Posts |
Posted - 11/03/2011 : 1:42:38 PM
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| From talking to people I know, it was evident that they were mailed in alphabetical order. I've also spoken with registered voters that did not receive them, even as of today. Not sure if it's on the city side or the US mail. That's why this should have been done MUCH earlier! |
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2011 : 06:58:40 AM
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| Charter won .............. What's the next step? |
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2011 : 08:02:06 AM
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A couple of things are supposed to happen justme per the charter document itself. See Section 10-6 for details.
What intrigues me more is a statement made on ECTV last night by Mark Puleo that there could be a lawsuit over the charter. I'm not sure where that is coming from as he provided no other details. While charter didn't pass as soundly as the Mayor won, I feel that the margin of victory was pretty significant and there might be some backlash against anyone who tries to get it overturned. If people don't like some of the specific things in the charter, I think that are other avenues that they should explore to get them changed. It wouldn't be unprecedented for a charter to be changed so early on. The city's original charter was amended twice in its first ten years. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2011 : 10:29:18 AM
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I have no idea what kind of lawsuit M Puleo could be talking about. I think if most of the members of the CC and BOA that were against Charter banded together the backlash could be minimal.
It would be a strange group of politicians that don't usually agree on things. Now, that could be real "fun" to watch. |
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tetris
Moderator
2040 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2011 : 11:16:46 AM
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I think it would all depend on how they banded together, Massdee.
I think that if a large number of members of the City Council, especially Common Council members, banded together in a legal action to block the implementation of the new charter, it would be seen as a self-serving effort to block something that affects them personally. Unless, of course, they found a very strong legal base to stand upon.
On the other hand, if a number of them banded to together to start up an effort to modify the charter that was passed, I don't think that anyone should have a problem with that because, in the end, the people will get to decide if they want the changes or not. Since the city now has a home rule charter, the people will always get to vote on changes to the charter rather than just sending them to the state for approval and only voting on them in certain cases (such as the four year term was in 2002).
Just my opinion though. |
Edited by - tetris on 11/09/2011 11:20:22 AM |
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Charter Review
