Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers

On Monday we passed Article 6, a zoning bylaw amendment defining where a medical marijuana treatment center could be located within Arlington.

We won’t be seeing a medical marijuana treatment center in Arlington, regardless of where we say they can go.

The state provides a lot of hoops for these facilities to jump through, and greatly restrict how many can be established, and where.

Arlington is also not where someone wanting to open up a treatment center will want to put it.

That’s not to say it is absolutely impossible for one to exist in Arlington: just exceptionally unlikely.

Nonetheless this article saw some opposition.

When we talk about the benefits of living in a democracy, we often talk about the strength and stability of our government, the balance of powers that exist, etc.

We forget about one key benefit. It’s may not be the best thing about living in a democracy, but I think it is too often overlooked.

Entertainment value.

Two-thirds of Arlington voters supported the legalization of medical marijuana use, and the existence of medical marijuana treatments centers that came with that law.

However if you approach any precinct in Arlington and suggest that a treatment center be established in their neighborhood, all of a sudden roughly two-thirds of the voters in that precinct feel that opening up a treatment center in their neighborhood is a very bad idea.

Let me be fair: they have excellent reasons and arguments about why their neighborhood is a poor location.

The problem is, every single neighborhood has excellent reasons.

Luckily for all of us in Arlington, I don’t think we’ll ever have to hear the protestations of neighbors when one of these things gets set to open up here.

It just isn't going to happen.

I hope not anyway, as I voted in favor of zoning that would permit treatment centers in my precinct, along Massachusetts avenue.

If one ever overcomes all the odds and actually does open here, I’m guessing that about two-thirds of the residents in my precinct will eagerly kick me to the curb the next time I’m up for re-election.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

2014 Town Meeting Begins

Town Meeting has begun.

If you're curious about what takes place, there are several places you can go.

This is especially relevant if you just can't wait to find out what happened, as I am not a night person.

When I get home I don't sit down and write up a blog-post, I go to bed. Town Meeting adjourns after my bed-time.

But even if you are patient enough to wait for me to get around to writing up a post, you should visit the sites I'm about to list anyway.

They give more perspectives on what has taken place.

While I try to argue fairly, what I write here is opinion.

So if you're interested enough to read this blog, you'll be interested in what others have to say too:


Last night we conducted "Electronic Voting" at Town Meeting.

That's right: Town Meeting has charged forward to the year 1993 or so.

All kidding aside, I was especially pleased to see this in action, as for the past two years I've served on the committee responsible for bringing it about.

If the nuts and bolts of our committee's work really intrigues you, on this page you can find our reports, agendas and minutes:
http://www.arlingtonma.gov/Public_Documents/ArlingtonMA_BComm/electronicvoting/index

For our first time out, I thought things ran pretty smoothly.

There are a few things people are finding confusing, but these are simple things like why there are two Robert Tosi's listed as voting on the display screen (need to enter a Jr. and Sr. there), why someone named VACANCY voted (new appointee who's name isn't entered in the system yet) and that sort of thing.

These are the sorts of things I can live with people being confused about on night one.

It's not 9:00 a.m. yet, so there's no information up just now, but later today the details of all electronic votes taken will be available for all to see here:
http://www.arlingtonma.gov/public_documents/ArlingtonMA_TownMeet/2014ATM/voting/index

That little web address is the real fruit of our committee's labor.

It may not look like much, but I believe it will significantly change the relationship between residents of Arlington and their government, and it's why I have been pleased to go to so many evening meetings over the past two years, and help work to bring this about.

Last night we passed a couple articles: one established zoning for medical marijuana dispensaries, one that protects residential property from excess lighting, and a clean-up article dealing with when we must display the results of electronic voting on screen as a result of a close vote.

I will attempt to post again before Wednesday's meeting and give more discussion to the articles discussed last night.

Till then, I'm going to spend some time hitting refresh on the Town Meeting Voting link on the town's website.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Anticipating the start of Town Meeting

This Saturday afternoon is chilly and damp, and I’m sitting indoors thinking about the fact that Town Meeting begins Monday evening.

Maybe it is the gloomy weather shaping my mood, but I am not excited for Monday to get here.

Ask any representative at any level of government and they’ll tell you that they love serving in their elected office.

I do love it.

There is something exceptionally satisfying about showing up and attempting to do the best you can by your neighbors.

Today though, I’m dreading Monday evening.

If it were only this coming Monday evening it wouldn't be that bad.

This Monday will be followed by Wednesday, and then Monday and Wednesday the week after that, and the week after that, etc.

Three hours of my evenings will be taken up two nights a week for a while now with meetings.

Here’s something about me: given a choice between going out and doing something or staying at home, I’ll choose staying at home, sitting on my sofa, spending time with my wife and my dog 100% of the time.

Despite being someone who spends a lot of time reaching out to other people, I’m really an introvert.

Spending time surrounded by other people drains me, and demands that I find some quiet time away from people to recharge.

There is something deeply rewarding about seriously contemplating things that may not sound all that exciting but taken together define what it is like to live in our community.

On the other hand, it isn't all that clear at all that you make much of a difference.

Sure, someone needs to show up and do the job; but by and large anyone else could show up and do the job just as well.

What’s worse is that you end up emotionally invested in some of the issues that come before us.

Everyone in town remembers the recent debate we had over leaf blowers.

Here’s a not so secret fact: how leaf blowers are used or not used in town has almost no impact whatsoever on my own personal life.

Yet I've spent many hours thinking on the issue, weighing the impacts of policies both on those that use the machines and those that don’t, trying to arrive at the best decision I possibly can, that represents the best move forward for everyone in my neighborhood.

I have lain awake at night, grappling with what the proper use of a leaf blower should be.

If the sun burst forth this afternoon, and all my neighbors and I walked outside, not one in ten on my street would know I served on Town Meeting.

So where are the silver linings to go with today’s gray clouds?

The answer to that is simple.

There are 250 others, give or take a few, who will join me on Monday night.

There are a dozen others in town who hold elected office and give up far more hours to meetings than we on Town Meeting do.

And there are hundreds of Arlington residents dedicating countless hours on voluntary boards and commissions, seeing that the business of our town is done, making Arlington a wonderful place to live.

So many people, putting in an enormous quantity of hours on mostly mundane items when they’d rather be at home with their families.

Even though the last thing you want to do is head out the door and give up another night to a meeting, you feel richer and more complete for doing it.

So much so that somewhat unbelievably, you find yourself full of gratitude to your neighbors for the privilege.

That’s how I’m feeling this afternoon, thinking about the fact that Town Meeting begins this Monday.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Survey on the CPA

I'm experimenting with posting surveys in order to gain a sense of what people think about different issues.

If it works out well, I may try this some more, in order to gain the perspectives of my neighbors on issues coming before me in Town Meeting.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Town Election Results, 2014

Over the last couple months I worked with Bob Sprague at YourArlington.com to create a system to provide live results on election night.

Unfortunately we determined that time constraints would prevent us from securing enough volunteers to cover each polling site, and so chose to save our work for next year.

However, since the spreadsheets were all in place, I've populated this year's results and share it with you here.

If you spot any errors, let me know.

I find this easier to look at than the more official-ish statement of votes cast released by the Clerk's office.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Turnout Projections for the 2014 Town Elections

UPDATE: I have revised my projections slightly. Looking at the data, I saw that there was a much larger change in turnout in Precinct 12 between the 2010 election and the elections in 2011 and 2012 (14.37%, compared to an average change of 4.79% across all other precincts). This extra low turnout in Precinct 12 in 2010 was dragging the projected turnout for that precinct down more than it should. I also gave some slight increases in projected turnout in some precincts with contested Town Meeting races. These changes saw an increase in projected voters from 7,697 to 7,718.

This year I have attempted to predict voter turnout by precinct for our Town Election coming up this Saturday.

Label this an exercise in humility. Knowing my aptitude in the math involved in making such predictions, I would not wager $5 that I have this right.

Nonetheless, what follows are my predictions for voter turnout in this year's Town Election.

Results in 2010 were anticipated ahead of Election Day, and many voters were not energized to participate.

2011 saw 2 fairly competitive races for BOS.

2012 had a vibrant contest for BOS, two alcohol related ballot questions, and many Town Meeting members up for re-election due to redistricting.

2013 had 2 ballot questions, one of which was a centerpiece of heated debate in town.

The 2014 election has no ballot questions, but does have a heated race for Town Treasurer, and a potentially close race for BOS, depending on how voters split their tickets.

2014 also has a few contested Town Meeting races that may increase turnout very slightly in those precincts.

I believe that turnout in 2014 will not benefit from the impact brought by ballot questions in 2013, especially in certain precincts in East Arlington.

2014 will continue to see an increase in voter engagement as voters square off against each other on tribal lines, those divisions especially heightened this year with the Treasurer's race.

The base supporters of Bob Tosi and Jennifer Susse will be motivated voters this cycle. Otherwise the races for BOS and School Committee will not motivate an increase in voter turnout.

The primary motivation driving voters to the polls this election will be the Treasurer's race, and motivation will be especially high among voters that perceive the future of the town along tribal lines.

Ultimately turnout will remain higher than we saw in 2010, but will not be higher than we saw in 2011 or 2012, and definately not as high as we saw in 2013. Tribal alliances will work to maintain higher turnout, but not drive an increase in the number of voters going to the polls.

Here is my guess at what turnout will look like by precinct this Saturday:


For a look at turnout in previous elections, as well as the data I used to base my predictions on, visit this link:
Election Turnout Projection - 2014 Town Elections

Update and a disclaimer: My gut says that turnout this year will not fall to levels we saw in 2010, but won't see the boost we saw from ballot questions in 2013. Increased engagement over the years, and a rare contested race for Town Treasurer, will maintain the level of turnout we saw in 2012 and 2011.

Were I to be working this election in a professional capacity, I would take this intuition for what it was, and pay someone good at the math to tell me what would actually happen.