Hatboro to vote on Lost and Stolen

**ChamberedRound** · March 25th, 2010, 11:45 AM

Here's what Sebastian as Snowflakes in Hell has to say about the latest in Hatboro, i.e. putting the L&S resolution up for referendum now that the ordinance and the resolution failed in council. I tend to agree with his opinion that this tactic could be dangerous:

http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2010...allot-measure/

This is bad news for us:

In an unexpected vote [after the defeat of the Lost and Stolen ordinance], council decided 4-3 to look into putting a referendum on the May or November election ballots to ask the voters if Hatboro should support the legislation at the state level.

Truth is we would have been better off if Hatboro had just passed this. Why? Because if you put it on the ballot, it’s probably going to pass, and probably pretty overwhelmingly. This fact will then be used to further weaken preemption, and put pressure on Harrisburg do something. Voters are generally inclined to approve ballot items, and you’d probably get something like “Should residents be required to report Lost or Stolen house keys to the police.” it would probably pass too.

If this ends up on the ballot, it will be a bigger victory for MAIG than if Hatboro had just been another town to pass an ordinance. This will cost us to fight it, we’ll probably lose, and they will use this against us in future battles.

I agree with Councilwoman Nancy Guenst. This is a total waste of local dollars. It amazes me that so many local towns are signing up to spend money they don’t have as part of Bloomberg’s plan to end preemption in Pennsylvania piecemeal.

**anonymouse** · March 25th, 2010, 11:51 AM

At least we have an ally with Nancy Guenst. Perhaps we can prevent it from becoming a referendum somehow?

**son of the revolution** · March 25th, 2010, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by anonymouse

At least we have an ally with Nancy Guenst. Perhaps we can prevent it from becoming a referendum somehow?

Best way to bring her on board and develop an ally is to arm her with enough of the facts to empower her to be able to dismantle any argument CeaseFire PA or their ideological sycophants on the board can dream up. I'd suggest trying to get a sit down meeting with her for an hour or so and give her a crash course. If your going to go this route, make sure you have copies of all your information/arguments/data to leave with her so she has it readily available.

**ChamberedRound** · March 25th, 2010, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by anonymouse

At least we have an ally with Nancy Guenst. Perhaps we can prevent it from becoming a referendum somehow?

Agreed that Ms. Guenst is important in this discussion. And, as has been discussed here, the big point to drive home is the wasteful spending this effort is causing. How many other useful things could have been done in Hatboro with the money that's been spent on this?

**shiloh** · March 26th, 2010, 09:57 AM

Still waiting to hear back from Nancy Guenst re the cost so far and anticipated future costs if this goes to referendum. I'm sure she will fight the referendum tooth and nail. It looks to me that right now the key is convincing Marianne Reymer, the Council president, to reverse her vote to send this thing to referendum. She was against the ordinance and against the resolution -- I'm assuming she agreed to vote for the referendum to try and placate the very vocal minority on Council, but who knows for sure. I will take her comments in the article at face value, and assume she is open to changing her mind. I'm going to send her a respectful message about the costs, about the fact that Council does not typically send other issues decided on a 4-3 vote to referendum, and reminding her of why she opposed the ordinance and resolution to begin with. If others want to reach out to her, just remember to be respectful -- she voted the right way twice on this issue and maybe we can persuade her to stop this thing now.

Even if it ends up going to referendum, I'm not so sure it's a no-win proposition for us either. Hatboro is a small town and my feeling is most people will not be happy AT ALL with the dollars being spent on a personal crusade of the mayor's and a minority on Council. All the same, I'd be happier if we can stop it here and now.