Don’t silence Ward 5 Voters
My Ward 5 City Councilor is Stacey Brown. As I understand it, on Nov. 10, upon the mayor’s urging, a majority of like-minded city councilors voted to strip the residents of Ward 5 of our right of representation on the City Council by prohibiting Councilor Brown to vote on or participate in any discussions related to the proposed police station. The stated reason was that she is married to a Concord police officer, a well-publicized fact. For that one stated reason the mayor and the other like-minded councilors voted to deprive all of the residents of Ward 5 of our elected representation on this and on any subject vaguely related to the Concord Police Department. It significantly troubles me that they are not only preventing my councilor, my voice, from voting on a major tax base issue, but that they are also silencing my voice on the council by prohibiting her from participating in any discussions on any police related subject. If the project is approved and our taxes are increased as a result can there be a more blatant example of “taxation without representation”? I suggest that the mayor and the council take a step back and evaluate who they are actually silencing.
For myself, I was well aware of Councilor Brown’s familial relationship with a city employee and have affirmed my trust in her ability to stand up for the best interests of her constituents. I do not feel a small number of councilors have the right to disregard my trust in my elected official and strip me of my chosen representation on this subject.