Petitioners in Lincoln say they have enough signatures to force a referendum on the town council’s controversial budget that is slated to slash safety and recreation services.
The 4-3 conservative majority controlling the Penobscot County town passed a 12.8% budget cut last week over the pleas of town employees, who have warned cuts could severely restrict fire and emergency medical services through layoffs.
Councilor Gordon Street, who pushed his conservative counterparts to accept more modest budget cuts without success posted a video on Facebook advertising the petition to overturn the budget.
On Saturday, he said the petition gained over 450 signatures, more than the 337 required to place the budget on a future ballot. As of Monday afternoon, 553 people had signed, according to petitioner Arica Millett, a nurse who said she began organizing on the issue because she felt the budget is a “risk to patients’ lives.”
Petition organizers collected signatures on a private lot near the fire station. Lincoln’s fire and ambulance department has taken the unusual step of openly pushing back against last week’s budget. The department’s Facebook page celebrated the weekend’s signature push.
Department officials have said they might have to lay off up to eight staff members, which could put them in jeopardy of having so few firefighters that they cannot safely enter burning buildings. One of the conservative council members, Eric Rojo, said he believes the department will be able to avoid service cuts with creative scheduling.
The town charter allows petitioners to override council actions with enough support. It’s not clear when a vote would be held. Town staff could not immediately be reached for comment.
It’s not the only petition disgruntled Lincoln residents have filed to oppose the board’s majority. Last month, residents began petitions that could have forced a recall vote for the four councilors. That set of petitions, which had to be signed in the town office and required more signatures to get on the ballot, did not succeed this month.
Daniel O’Connor is a Report for America corps member who covers rural government as part of the partnership between the Bangor Daily News and The Maine Monitor, with additional support from BDN and Monitor readers.
