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Showing posts from October, 2024

Enfield considers charter changes that could reshape its political landscape

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Charter Revision Commission meeting last week Enfield’s Charter Revision Commission met Thursday for its first in-depth workshop, generating a long list of proposals that could significantly alter how the town governs itself. Ideas ranged from switching to a two-year budget cycle, allowing a budget referendum, and compensating elected officials, or even shifting to a mayoral form of government. Other proposals included banning profanity on signs, locking non-governmental flag restrictions into the Charter, and changes such ending council districts. The meeting was structured as a pitch session, with each commission member suggesting topics for future discussion. In-depth discussions are to take place at subsequent meetings. While many proposals are unlikely to move forward—either because of insufficient support or legal concerns raised by the Town Attorney—the meeting highlighted potential flashpoints for what promises to be a spirited Charter revision process. Mayor Nelson’s Proposals...
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The danger in Enfield's blight ordinance

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AI generated image by Ideogram.  Enfield is giving itself more power to fine people for "blight" and take their homes through foreclosure. Pay attention, folks, because officials in other communities have abused these laws, and there's no reason to believe Enfield won't do the same. Take grass, for instance. If your grass grows over 12 inches, under the current ordinance, property owners have 30 days to correct blight violations after receiving notification.  However, the town's proposed blight ordinance revision reduces that corrective period to 10 days, giving homeowners less time to fix the problem. Once the 10-day period passes, the town will fine the property owner $100 per day, escalating to $150, until the issue is resolved.  Town officials have also expanded the definition of blight to include inoperable vehicles and neglected vegetation, such as overgrown shrubs and trees. This change could give the town much more power to pressure homeowners. What's ...
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Location: Enfield, CT 06082, USA
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Trump can win Enfield if Democrats stay home

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Trump's steady support in Enfield means the Democrats need a strong turnout Vice President Kamala Harris should win Enfield if -- and this is a big if -- the Democrats see a strong turnout. Harris is expected to easily win Connecticut in November over former President Donald Trump. But Enfield is a purple town, where Trump has maintained a solid base of support, making the outcome largely dependent on Democratic turnout. Let’s look at what happened in the 2016 and 2020 presidential races. In 2016, Trump won Enfield, receiving 9,238 votes, and slightly increased his total to 9,298 in 2020. These results indicate that Trump's support in Enfield remains remarkably steady. In 2016, Hillary Clinton received 8,548 votes. In 2020, Biden benefited from a much stronger Democratic turnout. He won Enfield with 11,263 votes—a notable increase of 2,715 votes. Assuming Trump’s base remains steady, Democrats will once again need a strong turnout to win in November. If Democratic voters don’t...
Location: Enfield, CT 06082, USA
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Enfield's charter revision: What will they do?

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Enfield Conn., Middle Road On Monday, the Town Council is expected to form a Charter Revision Commission. What little screaming nightmares will this group deliver? A direct election of mayor There are arguments for this. It might improve elections. We could see mayoral candidate debates, each sharing a vision for Enfield. Someone would now be responsible. Manchester made that change but limited the mayor's executive authority, retaining its town manager, which is probably best. Budget referendums  There's a little support on the council for this, but it would be a disaster for Enfield. Our community is too big and too complex to adopt a system that could lead to dramatic increases and decreases in spending, as polarized special interest groups battle it out. Referendums of this type usually get small turnouts. They also undermine the accountability of elected officials. Hopefully, the charter commission won't push this self-destruct button. Charter in balance The new Charte...
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Location: Enfield, CT 06082, USA
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