Letter to the Editor: Why I Am Voting “Yes” This Election Day

November 4, 2011
by Linda McGetrick

In recent weeks there has been a lot of talk about changing our Town Board from an “at large” system to a Representative System whereby Board members are elected from specifically designated areas.  This Referendum will appear for your vote this Election Day.

New Castle consists of taxpaying residents from eight different zones.  These include Chappaqua, Armonk, Bedford, Millwood, Mt. Kisco, Mt. Pleasant, Ossining (West End) and Millwood.  Collectively, we all have a shared interest in many issues decided by our Town Board. However, there are many issues that arise that affect the residents of only one or two areas in New Castle.  Important, often significant, financial decisions are being made by Board members who will never be affected by the outcome of their votes.  Allowing representation by areas or districts is neither “divisive” or “parochial” as some have stated.  This referendum should put to an end the divisive environment that many feel we currently have in our town. 

One argument against the Representative System has been that “no other town is set up this way.”  But since when has New Castle ever done anything because it’s what everyone else is doing.  We owe it to each other to do what’s right.  Electing representatives that can be educated and knowledgeable about a specific area’s issues and then bring them to the whole Board will be a positive development for our town’s future.  Instead of a few board members knowing a little about an issue, an area Representative will be truly informed.  I am not surprised that the current Board is resistant to this change; what is surprising is that some residents are willing to allow uninterested parties to decide how their tax dollars are spent.

I hope the New Castle residents understand that this referendum will be a positive change for our town.  By having more representatives there will be more input on important issues from all residents, as well as more transparency on decisions then there has been in the past.  Every resident of New Castle should feel that they have a voice in this town.  After being at some of the meetings on this subject and reading the posts on this matter, this is not the case.

Thomas Jefferson said, “That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.”  On Election Day let’s make sure that every resident feels himself or herself a part.

Linda McGetrick
New Castle Resident Seventeen Years
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See NCNOW’s archived materials on the subject of the referendum, arranged chronologically (newest to oldest), in Collected articles & letters to the editor on the Nov. 8 referendum to change to a ward system.