‘The People’
Should Stand Up

Cornelius Vanderbilt, the famous business tycoon, often said "What do I care about the law. Hain’t I got the power?"

The "power" these days appears to have been grabbed by our local leaders. Local examples of power abuse come from the South Royalton School Board and more recently from the Randolph Selectboard. In the former, a legally binding petition (according to the Secretary of State, who is the most likely to know these things) was circular filed back in October. In the later example, a successful re-vote stimulated by a legally binding petition is also in imminent danger.

For over two centuries, petitions have been the instrument of choice for the townspeople to warn and vote on various community decisions. Petition law allows this to happen without the approval of the elected leaders. It is a way for direct democracy straight from the people. The petition statute does not call for arbitrary determination on the validity of a petition by municipal bodies. Court precedents and legislative action determine the boundaries of petitions.

Case in point, a petition to recall two particular selectmen from Royalton in the late ‘50s led to a town vote. After the vote, the Selectmen in question did not refer to the decision as a "suggestion" or an "authorization." They followed the law (of the people, for the people, and by the people) and simply left office. This example demonstrates the power of the petition when properly used.

It is high time for "The People" to stand up and reassert their rights to "The Power."

David McCullough

Randolph

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