Bissonnette still interested in extending terms for council and mayor
Date: 2/15/2013
By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.comCHICOPEE — Since the City Council blocked his latest effort to put a ballot question before the voters that would seek approval of an extended term for both the mayor and members of the council, Mayor Michael Bissonnette said "the only option available" would be a petition drive.
Bissonnette had asked the City Council to approve two orders that would have directed the Secretary of State to place questions on extending the term from two years to four for the officials.
The mayor took this tactic after the forgery of signatures discovered in the petition drive two years ago stopped that effort. A Home Rule petition in the Legislature to put the question before the voters was also blocked.
"Clearly there is a political agenda," Bissonnette asserted.
He added the ballot question is the only mechanism for the terms of the councilors to be extended.
He explained that those who want to see the terms extended through a revision of the City Charter must understand that a ballot vote to approve an amended charter is "all or nothing." Voters must approve all of the changes a charter commission might devise.
Bissonnette did not say if or when a petition drive might be undertaken again.
*** The mayor was in budget talks with his department heads and released a statement on his Facebook page on Feb. 12.
"City budget hearings began this morning. Local aid continues to be down almost $6 million per year (from $15 million in 2008 to $9 million each year since then plus no reimbursement for police incentive/Quinn bill costs — we have had over $30 million less money since then on the municipal side for Police, Fire, Sanitation and Department of Public Works. I anticipate no layoffs again as I have made adjustments by cutting expenses, getting more federal aid and other steps to maintain all our services (and no trash fees!) Schools appear fully funded with state aid continuing to supply large share of the budget. Residential taxpayers pay about $30 million of the entire $165 million budget or less than 20 percent of all city/school costs for government."
