To the editor:
Direct district representation is required for a fair form of government. Prior to 1966 the Town of Caribou had a direct district form of government where elected officials represented districts within the town. This ensured the people had their interest represented. Most cities and towns in Maine use direct representation to form their government. Today the city of Caribou does not do this.
Voters do not get to elect more than one person to represent them to any office in our national or state government. This is how the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Maine were written. Town governments in Maine also elect their officials using this standard.
Most forms of city or town governments in the United States are divided into wards, precincts or districts to insure equal representation of officials on councils representing the multiple views of their voters. This is what the nation’s founding fathers had intended to keep the majority from imposing its views on the minority.
This is how true democracy is supposed to function. Yes, it is a little slower and a little messier, and only by compromise should governments be allowed to impose their will on citizens.
The City of Caribou has chosen to give the majority the ruling power. They have done this by allowing each voter to have seven votes for their representative elected officials for city government. This ensures the majority has and will always have the power rule over the minority with impunity in their form of democracy.
The secession representatives list this as their number-one problem that needs to be corrected by city officials and we have requested that the city change their form of government to give the citizens more power.
The residents of the seceding territory will form a town government that allows for the diversity of opinions amongst its elected officials. It will be our recommendation that the new town establish four wards representing different areas of their community to ensure this diversity.
Maynard St. Peter
Caribou
