League of Women Voters®
of Falmouth Bulletin
October 2012
In This Issue
Steering Committee
Report……………..…Page 2
Candidates Night.Page 3
September
Program……………..Page 4
Board Meeting Minutes
……………………..…. Page 5
October
Program..…………..Page 6
State Representatives
Statements on Citizens
United……………Pages 7-8
Friends, Membership,
Local Study
Committee………..Page 9
Finance Committee
Observer Corps
Report .……….....Page 10
Contact Us
Our address:
League of Women
Voters of Falmouth
P. O. Box 450
Falmouth, MA
02541
Send us an email
[email protected]
Visit our web page
www.lwvf.org
www.mass.gov
Member Events Calendar
October 2012
20
9:30 am
23
7:30 pm
24
7:30 pm
“Death with Dignity: A Ballot Question”
Barnstable Senior Center, Hyannis
Board Meeting
Falmouth Hospital Maternity Meeting Room
Candidates’ Night
Morse Pond School
November 2012
15
25
7:30 pm
7:30 pm
Member Meeting, Privatization
Board Meeting
Falmouth Hospital Maternity Meeting Room
LWVF Board of Directors 2012-2013
STEERING COMMITTEE
First Vice-President
Second Vice-President
Secretary
Voter Service
Development & Membership
Treasurer
Bulletin/Web
Legislative
Local Study
Betsy Fontes
Barbara Kanellopoulos
Sylvia Szulkin
Alice Carey
Kathy Mortenson
Joanne Voorhis
Joan Boyer
Meg Borden
Doris Epstein
Natural Resources Pam Polloni
Observer Corps
Deborah Siegal
Outreach
Landi Landrau
Publicity
Marcia Easterling
If you wish to join the League, membership dues are $50 for an individual membership
and $25 for an additional household member.
Send your check made out to LWV of Falmouth, P. O. Box 450, Falmouth, MA 02541.
Please include your name, mailing address, email address and phone number.
You do not have to be a resident of Falmouth to join.
STEERING COMMITTEE REPORT
Sylvia Szulkin
spelled nametag and a bottle of water?
On Wednesday, October 24 at
Have all the people who have worked
7:30 p.m. the Falmouth League will
so hard on the event received public
present Candidates Night at the Morse
recognition?
Pond School.
This year, we were unable to
A lot of hard work and time goes
find a date on which the candidates for
into the production of a candidates
State Senate in our district were both
night, no matter the breadth or
available. To remedy that problem,
narrowness of the issues or the rancor
we have asked FCTV to show the
or collegiality between the candidates.
videotape of the debate in Sandwich
Just finding a date on which all
between Senate President Therese
candidates are available can take an
Murray and her opponent Thomas
Act of God. Then there’s the allKeyes. The program will be replayed
important matter of securing a poised
several times before the Nov. 6
and authoritative moderator who is a
election.
skilled, well-informed questioner
Some candidates are running
without known biases. We are very
unopposed but the Voter Service
pleased that we have found just such a
Committee will give them a chance to
moderator in Mindy Todd, the host of
be heard on the issues they deem
WCAI’s “The Point.” Mindy will preside
most important. We believe that in
at our program this year.
uncontested races seeing a candidate
Creating questions that fairly
in person benefits both the electorate
show the candidates’ grasp of issues
and the candidates.
and problem-solving skills can
This year, the Voter Service
consume hours of debate among the
Committee will break new ground by
members of our Voter Service
presenting proponents and
Committee. There’s also the need to
opponents of Ballot Question 2
vary the format to some degree so
(Prescribing Medication to End Life)
that Candidates Nights continue to
and Ballot Question 3 (Medical Use of
attract a live audience.
Marijuana). These ballot questions
In years past, the Voter Service
bring into play a number of basic
Committee has had to pre-empt
values and social issues.
publicity-grabbing stunts by warring
Ballot Question 4 will appear in
camps, such as tossing dead chickens
only a few electoral districts, including
at the opposing candidate to signal his
all Falmouth precincts. That question
cowardice, or flinging a bloody glove at
the opponent onstage to protest the
asks voters Shall the state
opponent’s pro-war stance. Finally,
representative (or senator) from this
there have been the relatively
district be instructed to vote in favor of
mundane matters of making sure the
a resolution calling upon Congress to
timer’s stop watch is working and that
propose an amendment to the U.S.
the League banner has been hung
Constitution affirming that
securely to the backdrop curtain. Are
(1) corporations are not entitled to
the microphones all operational? Does
the constitutional rights of human
each candidate have a correctlybeings, and (2) both Congress and the
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 2
States may place limits on political
contributions and political spending?
Ballot Question 4 is a non-binding
referendum, but its supporters,
including the League of Women Voters
of Falmouth, hope that its passage will
send a powerful message to Congress
to support a constitutional amendment
that will overturn the holding in
Citizens United vs. the Federal Election
Commission that corporations have the
same first amendment rights as
individual citizens.
On September 20 our League
partnered with Common Cause of
Massachusetts to present a program
supporting a “Yes” vote on Ballot
Question 4. You can read more about
that program in Margaret Cooper’s
article inside this issue of The Bulletin.
If you missed that program, you can
see it replayed every Tuesday at 8
a.m. and every Thursday at 8 p.m. on
FCTV beginning October 2.
So, ladies and gentlemen, after all
the hard work of the Voter Service
committee, can we count on you to
attend Candidates Night on October
24th or to watch it on FCTV?
We look forward to seeing you and
getting your feedback.
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO ATTEND
CANDIDATES’ NIGHT
Sponsored by the
FALMOUTH LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
MORSE POND SCHOOL
7:30 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2012
In addition to answering League questions, candidates will respond to questions from the audience.
These are sometimes the most important part of the program. We urge you to attend and to bring
your friends and neighbors. The program will be carried live on FCTV.
VOTE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 3
“Challenges to Citizens United”
Members Meeting at Falmouth Public Library
September 20, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Margaret Cooper
On Thursday evening, September 20,
our League along with Common Cause
of Massachusetts presented a public
forum entitled, "Challenges to Citizens
United" at the main library. We
thought the turnout of approximately
50 people was good, given that the
program competed with the first of the
Warren-Brown debates.
The focus of the program was to
urge everyone to vote "yes" on
Question 4, which will appear on the
November 6 ballot in some
Massachusetts districts, including both
Falmouth districts. Question 4 calls on
Congress to essentially "undo" the US
Supreme Court’s Citizens United
decision endowing corporations with
the constitutional rights of individual
US citizens. Many legal analysts and
political commentators have stated
that the dangers of this decision
include allowing our democracy to be
run by corporations who can now
spend unlimited amounts of money on
elections.
The main speaker was Tyler
Creighton representing Common
Cause of Massachusetts. Tyler
explained how and why the
referendum got on the ballot, the
likely effects of its passage and what
we can do to help its passage. Jeffrey
Oppenheim, a local attorney,
presented the facts and rulings of
Citizens United vs. The Federal
Election Commission. Falmouth League
Board member Sylvia Szulkin
explained the LWVUS’s position on
Citizens United and how that position
accords with the League’s
longstanding support of campaign
finance reform to ensure the public’s
right to know and to combat
corruption and undue influence in the
election process. Deborah Siegal
reviewed the vote of Town Meeting
that approved the undoing of Citizens
United. Deborah reminded us that
corporate influence on elections can
extend to the local level.
Representatives Timothy Madden
and David Vieira were unable to attend
the meeting due to conflicting
obligations, but each sent a detailed
statement opposing the rulings of
Citizens United. The Representatives’
statements were read to the audience
and received rounds of applause.
Margaret Cooper was the moderater.
Nearly two dozen people signed
up to receive lawn signs and to hold
them at the polls on election day. If
you would like to participate in the
pro- Referendum 4 effort, please
contact Margaret Cooper.
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 4
DRAFT SUMMARY MEETING MINUTES OF THE LWVF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
of September 25, 2012
Sylvia Szulkin, Secretary
Treasurer's Report (Joanne
Voorhis): As of September 24, 2012,
there was $12,155 in the treasury.
Income was $435.00. There were
expenses of $267.00.
Bulletin (Joan Boyer): Joan has
received favorable comments on the
inclusion of the Board Meeting Minutes
in the Bulletin. After discussion, there
was consensus that Joan edit the
Minutes. A motion was passed to buy
an ad for Candidates Night in The
Falmouth Enterprise.
4. Membership/Recruitment
(Kathy Mortenson):
(a) We now have 84 paid members
and 6 life members. (b) Along with
her dues, one renewing member sent
a note indicating her initial hesitancy
to renew due to the LWVUS Clean Air
ad targeting Sen. Scott Brown and the
money from local League dues that
goes to the national and state
Leagues. (d) The Membership
Directory has been mailed.
5. Outreach (Landi Landrau):
(a) Landi has left League stickers and
brochures in Town Hall, the Artists
Guild and the main library. (b)
Joanne suggested that the Steering
Committee place on its agenda the
hiring of a technical expert to put our
League on Facebook and Twitter.
Doris Epstein suggested that our
League devote 3 months and up to
$500.00 to find out how to our League
can use modern methods of
communication. After discussion, there
was consensus that Joan Boyer
investigate other Leagues’ experience
with social media.
6. Local Study of Regionalization
(Doris Epstein): The local study
committee is studying the findings of a
Special Commission on County
Government as they relate to
regionalization. The committee will
not study the County government
reorganization recommendations of
the Commission.
7. Annual Meeting (Betsy Fontes):
Betsy stated that we need new ideas
to reinvigorate the Annual Meeting.
The following ideas were suggested:
change to a brunch meeting, or a
September meeting date, include
entertainment in the meeting, return
to inviting well-known speakers.
8. Winter Social Gathering (Sylvia
Szulkin): The commons room at
Dillingham Place is available on
Sunday afternoons at no cost to
community groups. Sylvia and Kathy
will look at the room and report back.
9. State League News (Joan
Boyer): (a) The LWVUS has asked
state and local leagues to not advocate
for a constitutional amendment to
overturn the ruling of Citizens United.
The resolution passed at the National
Convention urged the LWVUS to
aggressively advocate to overturn
Citizens United. The LWVUS view is
that this is a national issue best
addressed by the national League. The
LWVMA has voiced its displeasure to
LWVUS. Deborah Siegal stated that
our chapter should refrain from
sending a group letter to the media
and await further developments from
LWVUS. Individual members are free
to voice their personal opinions.
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 5
10. Voter Service (Sylvia Szulkin
for Alice Carey): Sylvia related a
problem that has arisen concerning
two siblings who are running for the
same office in a “friendly contest.”
Only one of the candidates (the
challenger) has responded to the
League’s invitation to Candidates
Night.. He purports to be representing
his brother in saying that his sibling
will not appear. Sylvia asked for the
advice of the Board as to how to
proceed if only one sibling appears.
The Board’s consensus was to allow
each to read a short statement.
11.
October Monthly Meeting
(Sylvia Szulkin): The Board agreed
that the Cape Cod League’s Oct. 20
meeting on the Death with Dignity
ballot referendum at the Barnstable
Senior Center on Route 28 would serve
in lieu of a local monthly meeting.
12. Guidelines for a Standing
Committee on the Effectiveness of
Local Government. (Doris Epstein
and Sylvia Szulkin): After
discussion, the Board reached a
consensus that the Standing
Committee would focus on a specific
aspect of local government each year,
for example, whether each
governmental body has clear job
descriptions for members. The
Committee is envisioned as a threeperson group. Only one person has
volunteered to be on the Committee to
date. The Board will approach
potential candidates. Landi suggested
that goals be added to the Standing
Committee guidelines.
Death with Dignity: A Massachusetts Ballot Question
October 20, 2012 at 9:30 am – Noon
Barnstable Senior Center
A forum presented by the LWV Cape Cod Area
An informational program with four speakers representing different perspectives:
A representative from Dignity 2012 which got the signatures to put the issue
on the ballot in November;
A representative from the Cape and Islands Hospice;
A representative from the Massachusetts Medical Society; and
A medical ethicist.
Presentations will be followed by answering questions, submitted in writing.
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 6
David T. Vieira, State Representative, Third Barnstable District
Statement Regarding Citizens United v. FEC
20 September 2012
The recent decision by the
Supreme Court of the United States to
depart with a long tradition of
protecting our democracy from the
unfettered influence of money in
politics should be concerning to all
Americans.
As state representative for the
Third Barnstable District I support
H.4375, an amended resolution calling
for a constitutional amendment
defining the rights listed in the
Constitution as rights of human
individuals and not “corporations,
unions, political action committees,
and super political action committees.”
The original resolution submitted was
in my opinion inflammatory and poorly
written. The bipartisan support for the
concept prevailed and a redrafted
resolution resulted.
I can’t help but reflect on the
“clear & present danger” principle
introduced to U.S. jurisprudence by
former Chief Justice of the
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
and Associate Justice of the U.S.
Supreme Court Oliver Wendell Holmes.
This principle introduced in the 1919
case; Schenck v. United States, is
most notable for the prohibition of
falsely shouting FIRE in a crowded
theatre. However, the part that I
believe best applies to the Citizens
United case reads in part; “The
question in every case is whether the
words used are used in such
circumstances and are of such a
nature as to create a clear and present
danger that they will bring about the
substantive evils that Congress has a
right to prevent.” The unfettered
funding of campaigns, and often the
divisive nature of the messages paid
for by anonymous entities on both
sides of the political aisle, are in my
opinion substantive evils which
Congress should prevent.
In closing, now more than ever,
we individual citizens of the United
States must be vigilant vanguards of
our democratic way of life. We must
ardently protect the rights codified in
the U.S. Constitution and endowed
upon us by Our Creator. In defining
these rights as those of individuals, we
will take an important step forward
and begin to curb the troublesome and
dangerous influence of money in the
American political system.
web: www.eightcousins.com
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 7
email: [email protected]
Timothy Madden, Representative, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket
Statement Regarding Citizens United v. FEC
20 September 2012
I co-sponsored Senator Eldridge’s
legislation this session because I truly
feel that our Supreme Court got it
wrong. I believe that most corporate
boards feel they have a financial
obligation to improve their company’s
bottom-line and that they make their
decisions on who or what to donate to
based upon that premise.
I believe that individuals make
decisions regarding who they will
support, and how they will vote, based
on many factors – which might include
personal experiences, moral or political
believs, religious convictions, among
other factors - and perhaps even
sometimes bsed on financial factors –
but it should always be the individual’s
personal decision as to where their
financial support will be directed.
By virtue of owning stock in a
company, one should not lose that
freedom of choice in terms whether to
offer financial support to a particular
candidate or cause that they
themselves, do not believe in.
Someone recently sent me this quote
from President Obama, an I think it
sums up my feelings on this issue:
When asked on Reddit about “the
corrupting influence of money in
politics,” Obama said:
Money has always bee a factor in
politics, but we are seeing something
new in the no-holds barred flow of
seven and eight figure checks, most
undisclosed, into super-PACs; they
fundamentally threaten to overwhelm
the political process over the lone run
and drown out the voices of ordinary
citizens. We need to start with
passing the Disclose Act that is already
written and been sponsored in
Congress – to at least force disclosure
of who is giving to who. We should
also pass legislation prohibiting the
bundling of campaign contributions
from lobbyists. Over the longerterm, I
think we need to seriously consider
mobilizing a constitutional amendment
process to overturn Citizens United
(assuming the Supreme Court doesn’t
revisit it). Even if the amendment
process falls short, it can shine a
spotlight of the super-PAC
phenomenon and help apply pressure
for change (August 28th, 2012).
Thank you for allowing me to express
my views on this very important
matter and I wish I could be with you
tonight.
In Memoriam
Dick Backus 
The League of Women Voters of Falmouth extends heartfelt condolences to our member
Denise Backus and her family on the passing of Denise's husband Dick Backus.
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 8
LWVF FRIENDS FOR 2012-2013
Frank Egloff
Sally Fritz
Avery Funkhouser
Christina Jacobi
Winnie and Bill Mackey
Polly Montgomery
Robert Schneider
Deborah Senft
Andrew Szent-Gyorgyi
John and Freddy Valois
Helen Wilson
Membership
Kathy Mortenson
Thank you for renewing your
membership dues. I am happy to
report that the League of Women
Voters of Falmouth has 91 members.
Please welcome new member Louise
Mitchell.
The 2012-2013 League
Membership Directories (light blue
cover) were mailed out to all members
in early September. Please discard all
old directories that you may still have,
and just keep this blue directory as it
contains the most recent updates. If
you have not received the new light
blue directory, please call me at
508-457-4410 or email me at
[email protected].
Local Study Committee – Regionalization and Falmouth
Doris Epstein
With its usual enthusiasm, our
ten member committee has begun to
learn about Regionalization and
Falmouth, the LWVF local study for
this year. With the Cape Cod map
before us, we are examining the
Recommendations of the Special
Barnstable County Commission on
Governance. We shall start by
prioritizing 11 areas under
consideration:
transportation, wastewater,
environment, county and state
coordination, health and human
services, economic development,
regional umbrella services, and public
safety.
Studying regionalization
historically, its present state and
future plans should lead us to the
persons involved today. What regions
of the Cape cooperate and how
effective are they? What remains to
explore? What are the pros and cons
of regionalization and are they factual?
Finally, what will we recommend and
how will we educate Falmouth on the
findings?
All of this lies ahead. Call
me for more information : Doris
Epstein
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 9
League of Women Voters of Falmouth Observer Corps Report
FINANCE COMMITTEE 2011-2012
Jacqueline Webster
The Finance Committee consists of
fifteen members elected by Town
Meeting for overlapping three-year
terms. They are: Gary W. Anderson (chair),
Frances S. Connolly, Weatherly B. Dorris,
Joseph L. Drolette, Adrian C.J. Dufresne,
Charles E. Eastman, Stephen Fassett, Peter
Giacomozzi, Gardner Lewis (co-vice-chair), Nick
Lowell, Deborah D. Maguire, Judy P. Magnani
(secretary), Robert G. Ripley Jr. (co-vice-chair),
Paul Sellers, Susan Smith. Recording secretary
is Drawde Geishecker.
The mission of the Committee is
to help the Town to ensure financial
stability, by monitoring the Town’s fiscal
policies and activities and by providing
reviews and recommendations to Town
Meeting on financial issues. It reviews
the operating budget and the capital
plan and it evaluates all financial
articles to be considered by Town
Meeting. It also administers the
reserve fund, which provides funding
for unforeseen expenditures between
Town Meetings.
Regular meetings are usually
scheduled on the last Tuesday of each
month. During Town Meeting
preparation, meetings are held more
often and can run late. At all meetings,
members of the board treat the public
(and the League observer) respectfully.
The Committee follows the State Open
Meeting Law, with agendas published
ahead of time, and minutes approved
and posted in a timely fashion. One
observation I have is that the published
agendas are somewhat general; one
cannot tell ahead of time what items
will actually be discussed. It would be
more in the spirit of the Open Meeting
Law if the items in the published
agendas could be designated in finer
grain. Perhaps this can be improved
when the proposed reorganization of
the Town’s Finance groups takes place,
so that more administrative support for
the Committee will be obtained from
town employees. The Committee has
been somewhat handicapped this past
year with limited support for the finance
administration role.
The members participate in subcommittees that review and analyze the
Town’s finances. Each member is
diligent in preparation of these
analyses: reading the files, interviewing
Town Department personnel, thinking
through the issues involved, and
reporting back to the whole Committee.
In the full Committee, members work
well together in coming to consensus on
their recommendations.
The Committee has been proactive in its approaches to the Town’s
finances. They communicate with town
departments and other town boards by
holding joint discussions on overlapping
matters, for example the School
Committee, where there is a potential
to merge some school department
functions with other similar town
department functions.
An area in which they are
influential is in preventing one-time
special donations or grants from
becoming permanent operating budget
items, without the Town consciously
understanding the resulting ongoing
expenses to which it is committing.
The Committee worked hard this
past year on recommendations for
augmenting the Stabilization Fund,
which is the Town’s savings account.
They put much effort into analyzing and
explaining to the public the need for
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 10
increasing the Fund, following through
at Town Meeting with a positive
recommendation on the Warrant Article
for an $800,000 Capital Exclusion to be
placed into the Capital Improvements
Stabilization Fund. Even though the
article was approved by Town Meeting,
voters turned it down on the required
ballot question in the May 2012
election. Perhaps with more focused
publicity, and further education of the
community, the Committee will be
successful in working this important
financial issue the next time it comes
before the Town.
In summary, the Town is
fortunate to have such an excellent
committee: it is well-run, and
populated by diligent, competent, and
knowledgeable citizens, who have the
best interests of the Town at heart.
LWV 2012 Bulletin – Page 11