Methuen Eliminates Primary

Posted on February 3, 2009 by billmanzi

The Methuen City Council last night agreed to eliminate the potential for a primary in this election season in order to save $32,400. The cost saving measure must be approved by the State Legislature and would be effective only for the 2009 election cycle. The Council vote was opposed by Councilors Cronin and Lahey, with Councilor Giordano absent.

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6 Responses to Methuen Eliminates Primary

  1. David says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:15 am

    Last night you also added an additional fine for marijuana. I ask you Mr. Mayor how is it you let that happen when I believe just a little over 5,000 of your residents voted for you, but over 12,000 voted for decriminalization of marijuana.

    I also ask you this, if you can create further increased penalties when your voters voted for it, then why cant we get you out of office sir so they can have someone who LISTENS TO THE ONLY VOICE THE PEOPLE REALLY HAVE, VOTING.

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  2. Gerard Donahue says:
    February 3, 2009 at 8:32 am

    Mayor Manzi:

    What was the reason behind the cancellation of the primary other than saving money?

    Gerard

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  3. Bill Manzi says:
    February 3, 2009 at 10:25 am

    David,

    If you had bothered to read the proposal or had followed how it evolved from the start maybe you would be able to present a better case. The proposal at issue separates usage from possession, and limits additional fines to PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, SCHOOL GROUNDS, and FOREST LAKE. It is less onerous than the current penalties for open containers of beverage alcohol, which can be criminal. This ordinance restricts the additional penalty to a civil fine imposed only in those four areas. Our parks and playgrounds will be drug and alcohol free. If you think you can build a mayoral candidacy on saying that our parks should not be drug or alcohol free then lets have that debate. But you trying to say that the measure defeats the vote on question two is nonsense.

    Bill Manzi

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  4. David says:
    February 3, 2009 at 10:34 am

    Mr Mayor, everyone has excuses. There are fines already in place. Why is that not good enough for the city of Methuen when over 12,000 of your voters voted to decriminalize less than an ounce of marijuana anywhere. There was a reason it passed in the state by 65%, there is a reason that in your own city with more than 7,000 residents than voted FOR YOU decided it was time to decriminalize and make the penalty 100.00 and nothing more. You sir think you are doing a favor to the children and residents of your city but in fact you just silenced every single one of their voices. And all you are doing is teaching that democracy is one sided when the law and officials in charge don’t like what the public thinks is best. This is nothing more than you dictating what is and what isn’t acceptable. YOUR VOTERS DECIDED THAT FOR YOU, LISTEN TO THEM!

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  5. Bill Manzi says:
    February 3, 2009 at 11:05 am

    David,

    Nobody on my end has excuses. What we have here is reasoned and well thought out facts. The voters passed a referendum decriminalizing possession of marijuana (ounce or less.) Beverage alcohol is a legal product. We have a separate local ordinance providing penalties for open containers of beverage alcohol. The state, as with marijuana, has its own “open container” law. Despite that we have chosen to have a local ordinance as well. Our ordinance on marijuana deals with open usage in those four areas, and not possession. That is a major difference. If you are simply “in possession” in our parks or playgrounds you would only be subject to the state fine. If you are in open usage then the municipal fine would apply. Our ordinance literally has nothing to do with question two, and does not in the slightest way attempt to defeat the intent of question 2. The voters have spoken, and I respect that. What we did here, respectfully, has nothing to do with question 2.

    Bill

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  6. Derek Jackson says:
    February 3, 2009 at 11:51 am

    While I am disappointed to see the primaries go, I understand the reasoning behind it as the primaries have such a dismal turnout and it is an easy place to save a few bucks.

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