Methuen officials are waiting to see if state politicians will approve the city’s petition to skip the Sept. 15 preliminary election. Methuen isn’t the only community to consider such a move to save money during this horrific budget year.
Skipping an election to cut costs sounds like it would be a sticky subject, but it has failed to generate much controversy in Methuen this year. The reason, most likely, is that it’s only a preliminary election, and those usually fail to draw big crowds.
Lawmakers held a hearing about the issue at the State House yesterday, and State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, D-Methuen, pleaded with her colleagues to quickly allow Methuen to skip the preliminary so the city doesn’t have to waste money ordering ballots ahead of time.
Campbell provided a copy of her prepared remarks to The Eagle-Tribune, and they are posted below. But first, to help put things into context, here is a story from State House News Service:
LOOKING TO CUT COSTS, CITIES AND TOWNS EYE CANCELLED PRIMARIES
By Kyle Cheney
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
BOSTON — Several cities are seeking to cancel their preliminary elections this fall in an effort to cut costs and keep budgets balanced.
At a hearing of the Committee on Election Laws, officials from Methuen, Revere, and Lowell said that tens of thousands of dollars spent on preliminary elections — in which relatively few people vote and in which only a few of the many candidates up for election are eliminated — would be better spent on other local services.
Officials from each city and town noted they were hit with millions of dollars in local aid reductions in the one-month-old budget.
Candidates that would otherwise have been eliminated in such elections would instead be considered nominated and placed on the November ballot.
“The cost for running this primary will be approximately $41,000,” said Lowell Mayor Edward Caulfield. “That is the only reason I’m here.”
Revere Mayor Thomas Ambrosino said a preliminary election in his city would cost $50,000. “In these trying times, it is a big, significant amount of money for the city to come up with,” he said.
The wave of cities seeking such relief underscores the need for a statewide system to handle such requests, said Avi Green, executive director of MassVote.
“We have so many elections,” Green said, adding that his concern was not about the cost of elections but about people’s capacity and willingness to vote in multiple elections per year. “People get burned out,” he said.
Secretary of State William Galvin declined to comment on cities and towns that wish to cancel preliminaries, calling it a “local matter.”
“I’m sure that especially if there’s a light projected ballot and so on, it’s something that all communities are discussing,” said Geoff Beckwith, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. “I’m sure a lot of it’s based on the economy. You see these bills every couple of years. There are a lot of different dynamics that are there.”
A bill also heard Wednesday would eliminate Taunton’s primary as well.
-END-
08/12/2009
Here is Campbell’s speech… note how she seizes the opportunity to take a swipe the new sales tax:
The home rule I bring before you to eliminate our local preliminary election this year is brought before you after thorough consideration of the impact that it would have on the democratic process in my community. I know that it is a petition that should be honored. I have not received any requests from the candidates affected by this home rule to hold a preliminary election. This home rule was forwarded to me by a 6-2 supporting vote of my City Council.
The specifics of the request, I believe, demonstrate its appropriateness, given the financial challenges faced specifically by my community.
Our charter requires a preliminary election for a mayor’s race with more than two candidates — we have three. If there were four mayoral candidates, I believe that a primary would be required. Our charter also calls for a preliminary election for two plus one in a district race — in only one district do we have two plus two. We can expect a turnout for a preliminary to range from 10 to 20 percent, probably closer to 10 percent, as there is only one open seat, which would not be not subject to a preliminary race.
There is also precedent for approval by this Legislature in 2005, the impetus also being economic hardship. My current senator, Steven Baddour, and my colleague, Rep. Barbara L’Italien, who represents a portion of Methuen, share my unwavering support for this petition.
As way of background, I wish to note that leaders in my community have been vigorous and successful in making difficult decisions and implementing successful negotiations to lessen the financial hardships imposed by this real financial crisis.
In order to close a $4 million budget gap, our mayor and all city unions negotiated a one-year contract extension with most unions giving up 10 percent of salary for one year. The mayor and department heads also agreed to a 10 percent salary cut. Honoring this petition (to cancel the preliminary election) will save our community approximately $35,000.
Additionally, business in my community, located just two miles from the major shopping venue of Southern New Hampshire, will suffer substantially under the imposed state sales tax, nor does it make sense for my community to utilize the optional hotel/meals taxes which might be helpful to other communities.
Finally, not only do I ask for approval — I ask for a quick resolution. I see no good reason why this petition should not be honored, but I also advise that we will need to know by the end of August, should we need to print ballots. Given the need for senatorial and gubernatorial consideration, I ask that you expedite your consideration.
