The most vigorous campaigning in the run-up to this year’s election in Newtown has had nothing to do with candidates. A group of supporters of proposed charter changes, led by members of the now-disbanded Charter Revision Commission, are distributing flyers, taking out ads, and generally talking to anyone who will listen urging Newtown voters to vote yes on all five charter questions on the ballot this year.

We agree with many of their arguments and applaud the extensive work they did this past year in researching and formulating the charter proposals. The inadvertent omission of an effective date on their proposals, however, would force the implementation of these significant changes in the way Newtown governs itself to take place just 30 days after the election, not in 2003 as the Charter Revision Commission had originally intended. Fortunately, there is no need to rush these changes.

All 19 of the candidates running for the Legislative Council have said they favor reappointing the Charter Revision Commission next year so it can come back with these proposals in time for a vote in November 2002. This would still allow implementation of the changes in 2003, if the town approves them following a full debate on the merits of the changes.

We have concluded, therefore, that it is best to vote no on the proposed charter changes so that a more deliberate schedule of consideration and implementation can be followed.