Keep secret ballot process

To the Editor;
For a town attempting to rebuild itself, to energize its growth potential and expand business opportunities, Dover-Foxcroft’s Charter Revision Commission appears to have done everything possible to reverse that process.

One of the most prominent charter revision proposals is to, with one exception, take away the established right of citizens to vote by secret ballot for all budget-related articles. The commission recommends only one article reflecting a “bottom line” budget total appear on the June municipal election ballot. Gone will be the budget increments and gone will be your ability to understand the allocation of expenditures and the necessity for requested tax increases. So much for transparency and administrative accountability.

In recent years, following a citizen-generated petition to vote all warrant articles by secret ballot, numerous budget related Articles, sometimes exceeding more than 25, have simply disappeared as budget figures were lumped together. Though touted as a move to make voting more efficient and less time consuming, the reduction in Articles masked from the taxpayer the actual need and administrative accountability for specific budget allocations. And now, if the charter revision is approved and you want to know how your tax money is spent you will have to attend the “open” town meeting in April.

With the exception of voting for a total budget figure, approval of the charter revision will be the death knell for the secret ballot. Remember how in past years each warrant article had that line that stated “the Board of Selectmen and the budget committee” approved a particular expenditure? If the secret ballot disappears you’ll never know about administrative approval and they won’t care whether you know how they’ll be spending your tax money. Doesn’t that sound like a demand for a blank check? That’s what losing the secret ballot will do.To be able to vote only a “bottom line” figure will be a very successful way of keeping you uninformed and a sure-fire path for financial abuse, and behavior that may not be in the taxpayer’s interest.

Years ago “open town meeting” as a concept was most admirable, but times have changed. Technology has advanced, residents are further dispersed with many unable to attend a town meeting, and budget consideration has required much greater citizen knowledge and attention. The use of the secret ballot has provided all citizens a day-long opportunity to vote their conscience and their pocketbook in the privacy of the voting booth. Using the secret ballot for municipal elections and budgetary warrant articles has updated Dover and helped promoted the town as a modern and technologically contemporary place.

When we’ve achieved all that, what could possibly be the reason for a handful of people (the Charter Commission) to even suggest the town should take a step backward into an era long gone? How can anyone politely smile at and then ignore the well worn admonition “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”? Let’s think about those words and not try to “fix” anything regarding the secret ballot. It’s so easy! Keep the secret ballot, don’t vote for the charter revisions (Article 8) and help Dover gain stature and growth in this century.

At the municipal election in June just vote NO on Article 8 and keep the secret ballot.
Don Benjamin
Dover-Foxcroft