To the Editor:
We applaud the overwhelming support for the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools proposed 2021-22 budget at the May 4th referendum. Unfortunately, turnout was only about 5 percent.
We realize that there was some expectation of both approval and low turnout; and, as such, at least one elected official recommended that the in-person vote be canceled, and just allow the BOE to approve the school budget.
Doing so creates a very “slippery slope”, whereupon we have set a precedent that enables future cancellation of referenda when “we all know what the outcome will be, anyways”.
We are in an era of American history when well-meaning politicians are implementing some “Orwellian” changes in voter rules and procedures in an effort to improve voter “integrity”, a problem that doesn’t really seem to exist in the United States as a whole, and was largely disproven, after the 2016 election, via numerous recounts; and repeated decisions in the courts. Even the threat to “release the Kraken” had no impact.
Like beauty, voter fraud exists only in the eye of the beholder, which, in this case, was the losing political party, who has not yet put the specious issue behind them.
Sincerely,
Christina J. Gotowka,
Thomas D. Gotowka,
Old Lyme.