Strike while the iron is hot for charter reform
As the saying goes, “timing is everything.”
The proposal before the City Council to initiate a Home Rule Petition modifying Waltham’s charter for elected officials’ healthcare benefits (which I support) opens a rare window of opportunity. If the Mayor and Council are opening up the charter to make changes for themselves, why not include changes for the people as well?
There are many people who have been discussing opening up our charter for a thorough review. The challenge is that can feel demanding to our city leaders. However, we could use this Home Rule Petition to make two additional targeted fixes that would modernize our city government without the overwhelming task of a complete charter overhaul:
1. Align municipal elections with state and federal election years. Moving local elections to even-numbered years would dramatically boost voter turnout, giving far more residents a voice in who represents them.
2. Establish a mandatory charter review every 10 years. Many nearby cities (Watertown, Framingham, and Cambridge) require a regular charter review. Adding a 10-year review clause creates a routine process to address other needed governance updates down the road.
I know some people believe there are many other charter issues our city needs to consider, but securing these two changes now sets the stage for everything else. By setting up a recurring 10-year charter review, we give our community a regular opportunity to tackle future improvements thoughtfully and transparently over time.
If our city leaders are taking action on the charter now, let’s make sure that action serves the voters as well as the officials. Our city leaders do listen to their constituents, so if you agree, please write or call your councilor, the councilors-at-large, and the Mayor today to let them know you would like to see these two targeted changes included in the Home Rule Petition they are initiating.
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Yes, we should establish a mandatory charter review every ten years. Why should modifying the charter be limited to benefiting elected officials? Because the charter should serve all citizens, they need equal opportunities to improve the charter.
I fully support the additions that Brad Onken suggests including in the Home Rule Petition before the City Council, but they are no substitute for a full review of the City Charter. The last version of the Charter was approved 40 years ago, and it needs to be reviewed by the community as a whole. The process for a Home Rule Petition is between the City Council, the Mayor, and the Legislature. Other methods for reviewing a charter involve the public as part of a voter selected charter commission or a council approved study group. Let’s have a full community look at the basic governing document of our city.
Waltham is a great city whose residents deserve a great government. The only way to be (and stay) great is by regular reflection on what might need to change as the world changes. Charter review is a way to do that for our city government!