NORTH END REDISTRICTING TEAM seeks input from YOU! You can reply to this post; speak at NPA on Wednesday Oct 23, 7pm at the Miller Center during report from elected officials (councilors, school commissioners); or speak at the Charter Change Committee on Wednesday Oct 23, 5 pm, Contois.

Issues before Charter Change Committee, Oct 23: http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/programs/charter-change-committee

~Do you care whether you vote in Ward 4 at St. Marks, or in Ward 7 at the Miller Center, in order to make it easier and cheaper for the City Clerk to administer elections (poll workers, delivery of ballots)? We do a lot more voting by mail and many vote early now, our NPAs meet jointly at Miller Center, Miller Ctr is not a religious affiliate, and the Miller Ctr is free city-owned space. On the other hand, convenience of voters is MOST important. What do you want?

~Would you like terms of office for councilors to be 3 yrs, or 4 yrs, or stay 2 yrs? We don't have term limits or recall, and our legislators are elected for 2 yrs, as is the State Attorney General. On the other hand, Mayor is elected for 3 years, campaigns get tiresome, campaigns are expensive, and 4 year terms give councilors time to get more experience. What do you think?

~Fewer councilors (12) will mean fewer people to serve on standing committees, which means fewer hours providing guidance and oversight to city government via standing committees -- budget/finance, charter changes, public safety, parks/arts/culture, community development and neighborhood revitalization, etc. On the other hand, paid staff helps committees and more committee assignments for each councilor can make up the difference; or we just expect less oversight and input from Councilors. (Standing committees - http://www.burlingtonvt.gov/CityCouncil/Standing-Committee-Members/ ) What do you think?

It is proposed that we have two groups of councilors, those elected from each ward (8 councilors total), and those elected at-large from two wards (4 councilors total) -- in our case, Wards 4 and 7. That's how we get 12 councilors. Fewer councilors mean they talk less at Council meetings and it's easier to get agreement on controversial issues. On the other hand, we want our councilors to speak, and we want a diversity of opinions. It will take money and party organization to win the two-ward seats, and some think the two tier system sets two-ward at-large councilors above the ward councilors. What do you think?

WE PUT VOTERS FIRST! Your opinions, your preferences, your elections!