Override Overdrive – Ballot questions are the talk of the town

To be sure, the Proposition 2 1/2 override election is the talk of the town. No doubt, residents in other communities facing similarly tough decisions will be closely watching the results from Winthrop voters on May 19.

We’ve written about the incredible importance of the override election to the future well being of our community, but one of the letter writers to the Sun Transcript last week expressed our sentiments quite succinctly. Quoting from Kelly Gaughan Parker’s well-written letter to the editor last week, “There is too much at stake to let this override issue go by without voting. There is too much at stake to vote because of what a friend has told you or a neighbor has heard. This vote is too important to take someone else’s word for it.”

We agree that the stakes have never been higher. The continued opening of the public library and the Senior Center is contingent on the outcome of the May 19 balloting. The future of the Winthrop public schools, as well as our police and fire departments’ ability to keep the town safe with sufficient manpower and resources, all are issues that are crucial to Winthrop’s viability as a municipal entity.

However, we all need to do more than talk about it. Meetings and coffee hours are being held to inform voters and answer questions. We urge our readers to attend these events and to become involved in the process. Apathy is not an option at times like these.