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Torissi and Other Misguided Souls
Want to Change Our Town Government
Ted
Tripp, President N. Andover Taxpayers Association
 At a recent public meeting, state
Representative David Torrisi and several selectmen
proposed that North Andover review its open town meeting
form of government and perhaps consider a new governing
arrangement. The alleged reason is that the town has
become so large - 29,000 plus people - that it needs a
stronger and more centralized system to get things
accomplished and move the town forward.
I contend that this is simply a euphemism for raising
taxes and increasing spending. There are those in town,
whom we call the “tax and spenders,” who have
been perennially unhappy because the voters have turned
down all Proposition 2 ½ Overrides since 2002. The
failure of the trash tax to pass at the July 10th special
town meeting was the last straw for these people. They
are now desperate to increase our taxes for their selfish
projects, whether it’s the schools, public safety,
library, or whatever. Changing our form of government is
simply their latest ploy to separate us from more of our
hard-earned money.
These people typically show nothing but contempt for the
voter and the taxpayer.
But enough of the niceties. Let’s step back a minute
and take a look at Representative Torrisi’s
perspective on this issue. It is no secret that Torrisi
has been advocating a mayoral form of government for
North Andover for some time. This begs the question: What
does he know about a mayoral government that the rest of
us don’t? Followed closely by: Should we trust his
judgement and recommendation?
Perhaps we ought to look a little bit closer at the
source. Torrisi’s legislative record shows that he
is no friend of the taxpayer or average citizen. Twice
last year he had a chance to approve the long-promised
rollback of the state income tax to 5 percent and he
voted not to do so. This year he deliberately broke his
oath of office to uphold the Massachusetts Constitution
and voted to kill two citizen petitions despite the three
hundred thousand people who signed petition forms to
bring these issues to the voters.
Every legislator in office is required to take the
following oath: “I, (name), do solemnly swear, that
I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts, and will support the constitution
thereof. So help me God.” That seems pretty clear to
me.
Article 48 of the constitution, which deals with citizen
petitions, says, in part, “A proposal for an
amendment to the constitution introduced by initiative
petition shall be voted upon in the form in which it was
introduced, unless such amendment is amended by vote of
three-fourths of the members voting thereon in joint
session, which vote shall be taken by call of the yeas
and nays if called for by any member.” This means
that the legislators at a constitutional convention must
vote on a citizen petition to either approve or not
approve it going forward to the voters.
This year, Torrisi consistently thwarted efforts to let
the “Health Care for Massachusetts” and “Vote
on Marriage” citizen petitions from being voted upon
as required by the constitution. In the first case, he
voted to send the Health Care petition to committee for
further study, which effectively kills it. In the second
case, Torrisi voted several times to postpone a yea or
nay vote until the last possible day of the session, at
which the legislators have a sordid history of adjourning
without an up-or-down vote.
With this wanton disregard for the constitution and the
voters, why should we listen to Torrisi when he says
North Andover needs a new form of government? Perhaps he
should look back on his own legislative body and come up
with some ideas that would make it more democratic and
responsive to the people. Don’t hold your breath,
however.
Another advocate of a new government for the town is
Selectman Mark Caggiano. Again, Caggiano is no friend of
the taxpayer. He has consistently supported Proposition 2
½ Overrides and favored the disastrous “unbalanced
budget” earlier this year with its proposed $1.5
million trash tax. Once more: Is this a person the
taxpayers should listen to about changing our government?
Selectman Tom Licciardello also seems to be in agreement.
You remember Tom. He was the candidate who was for the
$7.3 million tax override before he was against it.
To date I have met no one who voted against the trash tax
in July who is in favor of a new form of government. Most
of our citizens think that the open town meeting
government is just fine. Here they get a chance to attend
and cast a vote on an issue important to the town. With a
mayor in charge, they would not get the same opportunity
to be heard.
So, if a petition comes around asking you to open the
town charter to consider a new form of government, just
remember the people who are behind this effort before you
sign your name.
Ted Tripp is an International Consultant in high-tech
manufacturing methods. He has BS and MS degrees in
Chemical Engineering from MIT. You can reach him at tripp@gis.net.
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The December, 2006
Edition of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2006, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 10,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover,
Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
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Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury, Hampton & Salisbury
Beach, and Lowell.
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