Know before you vote, it seems like a given, but so many of us are busy and simply don’t have the time or patience to read a whole lot of materials. Why not just follow the Select Board lead on local initiatives? The Select Board has proven themselves to be biased on any number of occasions and this year’s ballot is no exception. Let’s look at a few, specific ballot articles in this cycle for your consideration.
Know before you vote, Article 3 is the perfect example. Even if you just read the ballot the language which they ask us to strike may seem familiar. Indeed, Article 3 on the 2020 ballot is when you voted to insert this language to protect the town from ill conceived, not fact-based decisions by the Planning Board and CEO (Code Enforcement Officer). Now, they come back at you asking you to strike the very language you just inserted into the Land Use Ordinance … with good reason. Not surprisingly the Select Board votes 5-0 for you to overturn yourself and the Planning Board votes 7-0 … who needs facts? Vote No.
Know before you vote, Article 4 is a mirror image of Article 4 in 2020. Again, the town has recycled the article number exactly to ask you to reverse yourself on the reasonable language you voted to insert which limits a single hotel property to twenty rooms in the downtown district (District 913, by the harbor). Yes, that was in response to the 36-room hotel being proposed at the time – who builds a four-room hotel to take up the balance? Now, with a 20-room hotel nearing completion what’s the point of asking you to change it back? Again, the Select Board votes 5-0 in support of you reneging on your vote and the Planning Board 7-0. Remember, they thought thirty-six rooms sounded great. Vote No.
Know before you vote, Article 7 asks you to authorize an extension of the Tax Increment Financing Development Program for the Downtown District. The logic here is that the town has been fighting with Camden over the combined sewer treatment facility located in Camden. If you go to the town website and look at the documents for this extension you will find that it is for “…broadband expansion and a significant environmental improvement project/infrastructure project that relates to business activity.” You may recall that the developer of the hotel stated that the current sewer facilities were capable of handling the new strain associated with the then 36 room hotel. That should mean that the current 20-room hotel plus even another 20-room hotel authorized by the current Land Use Ordinance would be fine with the current infrastructure … unless…. Plus, there is no mention of where the new, $16 million sewage plant will go in Rockport, but town officials have said that Cramer Park is the ‘only place it could work.’ Not surprisingly the Select Board votes 5-0 to recommend a yes vote. Vote No.