Please Support the County Charter Movement!
What is a County Charter? – It is a “constitution” for the County. It
formally outlines the form of government and the responsibilities of our elected
officials. Warren County does not have a charter. We are one of only 16 Counties
in NY that still operate this way.
Why do we need a Charter? – Warren County currently operates with a
hodge-podge system composed of dual role Town supervisors, at-large
supervisors from Queensbury and Ward supervisors from Glens Falls. Each
supervisor represents a different number of voters and the system lacks
consistency. Even more important, there are no Checks or Balances in this system.
The County Board holds both the legislative and executive powers. A Charter
would correct these shortcomings.
Why should I care? – To quote Thomas Paine, one of our founding fathers,
“Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil… “. Our County
structure is very far from a “Best State”. It lacks even the fundamental attributes
of good government that we all learned in elementary school. We currently have
no separation of powers. We also lack any form of checks or balances. We have all
seen the ill-advised undertakings and wasted tax dollars that have resulted.
Would a Charter increase taxes?
No it would not. In fact by increasing
accountability and providing checks on power, it would give us the best chance to
reduce wasteful spending.
What can I do to help? – If you are a registered voter in Warren County,
you can sign the petition. We need 2000 signatures. Each signature on the
petition brings us that much closer to our goal. Also, if you would like to help
circulate the petition and get signatures please let us know.
Contact – [email protected]