A message from the Clinton Taxpayers Association:
The Clinton Taxpayers Association (CTA) announces a petition initiative to overturn the referendum that passed for a new Morgan High School on April 11.
Under provisions of Clinton’s Town Charter, 300 signatures are required to prompt a new referendum to overturn a previous referendum. The precedent for this was set in 1991 when a referendum passed in the previous year to build a new school in Clinton was overturned in a subsequent referendum.
The referendum held on April 11, passed narrowly by 40 votes out of 4,076 votes cast and at a time when many seasonal residents were away.
Pam Fritz, president of the CTA observed, “The CTA’s Morgan School Task Force carefully studied the Building Committee’s proposal for a new Morgan School and objectively determined that it was not in the best interest of Clinton taxpayers to spend this sum of money to replace the current building at this time. We are grateful to the 2,018 voters who agreed with those findings and voted no on April 11. ”
Pam Fritz continued, "The Clinton Town Charter provides for a petition to overturn a referendum. This referendum was so closely contested at a time when many taxpayers had not returned for the season, that it warrants using this provision to assure a truly democratic result."
Len Fried, the Task Force Chair reported, “While we would all like to see Clinton have a new school, it is not the most cost effective solution, and with the highest mill rate on the shoreline already, Clinton simply can’t afford it.”
Taxpayers who wish to sign the petition can request a circulator to come to them by making this request at: www.gocta.org/Guestbook.php.
