BALLOT QUESTION 6 CHANGES THE LANGUAGE IN THE BARNSTABLE COUNTY CHARTER TO GIVE THE ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES MORE SPENDING AUTHORITY.

Vote No on this ballot question for the following reasons:

• It is designed to increase the spending power of the Assembly for their pet projects, hiring more staff and provide pay raises.

• It by-passed the County’s own Charter Review Procedures – which provides for an open, inclusive and transparent amendment review process. 

• It is poorly written and provides the voters with no details on the specific sections of the Charter that they wish to change.

• They want to exempt the Assembly from the current state laws governing county expenditures – which raises unique legal questions and more confusion.   

• It authorizes the County Assembly to deplete the county reserves to finance multiple supplemental appropriations.  In one year, the Assembly issued over 20 separate spending bills.  A return to this practice is simply bad budget policy.

• The measure will lead to a lower bond rating, increasing costs and assessments to all Cape Cod towns.