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<div>If free press means hand bills and lawn signs, one wastes trees and the other amounts to eye litter (don't get me wrong, I'm all for free press!). I believe they are both useful vehicles for information but they are certainly not enough. I say, more electrons, less trees!</div>
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<div>I work late, am not home weekends, and have a loud dog (as David can attest). While I appreciate the time it takes to canvass neighborhoods, my schedule makes it an impractical way for me to learn about candidates. I am sure there are others like me who have similar constraints. </div>
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<div>Also, there is often a question of not knowing enough of what is going on to even know to ask about it. That's why I consider the idea of an organized candidates forum, even in tiny Riverdale Park, to be a valid one. I'm sure there is a way to make it effective for candidates to use TownTalk without becoming unbearable. I'm not sure I understand how we as a community can afford to be distant from town politics! It almost sounded like the town legislators, perhaps unintentionally, threw up some barriers to discourse thinking there was a lack of interest on our parts.</div>
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<div>Since we're going to have to find out the information ourselves, I would like to know how the individual councilmembers voted on this issue. Do I contact Town Hall for that information, or can that information be disseminated here?</div>
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<div>Adrianne Lefkowitz</div>
<div>Madison Street</div>
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<br>
Message: 3<br>
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 06:56:11 -0400<br>
From: "Vernon Archer" <<A href='javascript:parent.ComposeTo("varcher%40gmail.com", "");'>varcher@gmail.com</A>><br>
Subject: [RP TownTalk] Forum--in person debate and via Town Talk<br>
To: TownTalk <<A href='javascript:parent.ComposeTo("TownTalk%40riverdale-park.org", "");'>TownTalk@riverdale-park.org</A>><br>
Message-ID:<br>
<<A href='javascript:parent.ComposeTo("f86ada2a0704160356x25eb7983s1c3f0e1cb158121c%40mail.gmail.com", "");'>f86ada2a0704160356x25eb7983s1c3f0e1cb158121c@mail.gmail.com</A>><br>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<br>
<br>
Voters of Riverdale Park,<br>
<br>
There has been a variety of comment over the last several weeks about using<br>
the Town Crier, and Town Talk for publishing statements from candidates for<br>
office, and also about having a separate "forum" of candidates. I would<br>
like to express some thought on these matters and clarify some of the<br>
official actions taken by the town.<br>
<br>
First, regarding the idea of a Town Crier "forum." The Charter of our town<br>
forbids using any town resources for "electioneering" without the express<br>
permission of the Town Council. This is in keeping with both the tradition<br>
of Federal and Maryland Election Law. We have a free press, and the freedom<br>
of speech to allow us to get out our message. I recommended to the Council<br>
as they debated the issue of allowing electioneering via the Crier and Town<br>
Talk, to only allow this if there is no reasonable way for candidates to get<br>
their message out to voters via the private press, or individual action.<br>
<br>
The council decided that publishing the names of candidates, with their<br>
email addresses, and any web or blog site was adequate to provide potential<br>
voters with information about candidate positions. In a town as small as<br>
ours we do not get much press coverage, however it is easy to get in touch<br>
with individual candidates/office holders via phone, email, or personal<br>
contact. We also have a strong tradition of candidates going door to door<br>
to meet with constituents face to face.<br>
<br>
My read on the Council position is this: if you want to know a particular<br>
candidates position on a particular issue, you can get it with very little<br>
effort. If you find a candidate difficult to get a response from, that<br>
probably tells you something right there ;-} Therefore, the Council decided<br>
not to break with the clear intent of the Town Charter, Maryland and Federal<br>
Election Law.<br>
<br>
Town staff should have the list of candidates, with contact information<br>
posted today. I would also like to point out this is earlier and more<br>
widespread than has ever been the case in previous elections.<br>
<br>
Before leaving this topic, I want to say when I created Town Talk by<br>
executive order, I intended it as a means of residents sharing information<br>
about topics of common interest that would be as distanced from electoral<br>
politics as possible. The fact that residents are clearly interested in<br>
politics makes it a very hard line to draw, and I thank the council for<br>
taking up the responsibility of making policy for Town Talk.<br>
<br>
Regarding a live candidates forum, the issues are similar. In elections<br>
recently past, there have been only candidate forums under the auspices of<br>
private organizations or persons. The town only allowed the use of town<br>
hall space after council action and under the control of a non-government<br>
organization/private citizens. Under such circumstances, a forum would<br>
clearly be a positive and welcome idea.<br>
<br>
The Council could act on a motion to provide a space for a forum on our<br>
April 30 meeting, but in order to make that happen, private organizers would<br>
have to get everything lined up very soon.<br>
<br>
Best wishes,<br>
<br>
Vern<br>
<br>
----<br>
Vernon Archer, Mayor<br>
Town of Riverdale Park, Maryland<br>
</div>
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