Acton Special Town Meeting: Responding to a Summer of Injustice
Written by State Senator Jamie Eldridge
On a beautiful summer night in early September, the Town of Acton held a Special Town Meeting. Following public health guidelines, residents and town officials gathered outside at the parking lot of Acton-Boxborough Regional High School to address nine articles on the warrant. The measures considered were straightforward proposals, but the debates around them stood out to me. The meeting was filled with intelligent, thoughtful discussions and remarks, as citizens continue to exercise their right to influence policy change. The voter’s voice has never been louder then it is now, in this era of COVID, where we are witnessing the highest unemployment rate since the Great Recession, shrinking state revenue, and a summer of mass protests against racism. Now more than ever, every action we take as concerned citizens, has the potential to make a significant difference.
Arguably the most significant issue of the night was a proposal to purchase private land in South Acton for conservation, and therefore avoiding the construction of a Chapter 40B housing development and the cutting down of many trees just next to the Great Hill Conservation Land. Many affordable housing advocates acknowledged that the housing development was not in an ideal location, and Acton was in the process of building other affordable housing in other parts of town. But for the first time, a handful of Acton voters spoke at a microphone about the need for Acton to build more affordable housing. Referring to the ongoing protests for racial justice since the murder of George Floyd, residents asked the rhetorical question, “If we really believe that Black Lives Matters, isn’t part of showing that providing enough of a diverse housing stock that people of all backgrounds, economic and racial can afford to live in Acton? If every affordable housing development in every suburban community is met with the rejoinder, ‘I support affordable housing, but just not there’ then do we really support affordable housing? And can we value providing a diverse housing stock in Acton just as much as protecting open space?
The second article that has remained on my mind involved The Acton Board of Selectmen, who proposed changing the title “Selectmen” to “Select Board” making the term more gender inclusive. The argument to change the term was that it is obviously male-centric, and can be very awkward for female members of such boards, not to mention outdated in a time of greater gender-inclusivity. Personally, when I hear “Board of Selectmen,” I automatically envision a board made up entirely of men, which is no longer the norm. Though the warrant passed overwhelmingly, the debate was more intense than I anticipated. The main argument by the speakers who opposed the change seemed to be, “changing the board would upset me, because I was a Selectman.” But at a time when we are taking a closer look at equity and equality in society in America, is it just to make a decision based on how something makes “me” feel? I say no. There is certainly a need to strike a balance in this discussion, but aren’t we supposed to be thinking more about who maintaining the status quo continues to hurt. If a young woman wants to run for municipal office, is “Board of Selectmen” not unwelcoming, yet another barrier to more women getting elected to public office? If a transgender person is serving on that board, how does that person feel about being called a “Selectman?” Often the rejoinder is, “This is such a minor matter, and there are so many more important things to tackle.” However, if the matter is minor, why not just change it? And since it’s not a minor reality for many people, then isn’t it something worth tackling?
The final warrant article of the night addressed a proposal to dedicate local taxpayer dollars to fund modest grants to small businesses struggling as a result of COVID. This proposal underscored how in an era of Americans responding to twin crises - health pandemic and racial injustice - a conservative philosophy is seen increasingly as out of touch with the general public. During the debate, many small business owners spoke at the microphone, acknowledging that while a grant would not save them, the financial support from Acton residents through their government was much appreciated. One opponent to the proposed program simply said, “the market decides who will remain open.” But have we finally reached a point of true honesty in American society, recognizing that there is no such thing as a free market? And as an extension of that, do public officials, at all levels of government, not concede that the CARES Act federal stimulus was severely lacking, overwhelmingly providing taxpayer dollars to large corporations, with proportional pennies left for small business owners, cities and towns, and social safety net programs?
Each of these 3 successful warrant articles underscored how critical it is to take action - any action - to help the common good, strike a blow against social and racial injustices, and zero in on how the government is helping or hurting the ordinary people of Massachusetts.
