To the Editor:

It was disappointing to read about the purloining of the fifth Board of Education seat in the letter from Jeff Capeci, Republican chairperson of the Charter Review Commission, former Republican chairperson of the Legislative Council, and present chairperson of the Republican Town Committee.

Mr Capeci ignored the 2008 Charter question where no Charter Review Commissioner, except the chairperson, was aware that the proposed “bare majority” could artificially mean 5 out of 7. The Charter Commission, Legislative Council, and public thought “bare majority” meant no more than 4 Board of Education members from any one party. The then Republican chairperson of the Legislative Council told The Newtown Bee that the reviews of the charter questions were correct, including the one by the Registrar of Voters LeReine Frampton, who explained “bare majority” meant no more than 4 of one political party on the board. It was published in The Bee. No further representation on the question was made.

Mr Capeci blames the Democrats for only running two candidates for the Board of Education in the last election. Surely Mr Capeci knows that in an off-year election such as 2013, the elections nearly always trend to the opposing party. The Democrats had 2 available Board of Education seats and 2 extremely capable candidates; it was expected that the Republicans would win the third seat. It made no political sense to run a third Democratic candidate that would only dilute the strength of the other two candidates. After the candidates were nominated only then did the contorted legal opinion come down that a bare majority of 7 could be 5, and the Democrats might not win their two seats they relied on.

Mr. Capeci spilled his agenda… he dislikes minority representation. Yet if this important issue was to be addressed this year, this Charter Review Commission should hardly have been the one to address the change. Typically a Charter Review Commission is balanced and apolitical. The instant that the committee is stacked with 5 Republicans, powerful party town committee members, and former elected officials, only 2 Democrats and 2 unaffiliated voters it is hardly balanced. It should be noted that the Charter Commission’s vote on this issue was strictly partisan, 5 Republicans in favor, 2 Democrats, and 2 Unaffiliated opposed. If such charter issues were to be addressed they should have come from a Charter Review Commission comprised of individuals unaffiliated, non-elected officials, and/or non-Town Committee members. Such was the 2008 appointed Charter Review Commission, and prior to that, the commission led by Judge Lavery. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership appears to have appointed a commission to further their own agenda. The simple solution; Vote No when this charter question arises. Bare Majority means 4 out of 7, not 5.

Mr Capeci’s statement that he is making the Board of Education more apolitical by creating a “bare majority” of 5 out of 7, and not 4 out of 7, is well…silly and borders on just plain ridiculous…bridge in Brooklyn anyone?

Ross Carley

66 Currituck Road, Newtown                                 May 18, 2015