Most of you know the story. After years of trying to prevent a vote on whether we should have a Ward System, the Town of Ramapo was ordered to hold a referendum on that question on September 30, 2014. On the ballot was whether the town should establish a ward system and divide the town into six separate districts (wards), each with its own representative on the Town Board.

Terrified by the transparency and accountability that a ward system of government might bring to Ramapo, town officials concocted a scheme to influence the outcome of the referendum, promoting disinformation and an atmosphere of deliberately induced disorganization. This was done in the hopes of assuring a NO vote, but also to leave open an avenue to challenge a YES vote based on the chaos and confusion they themselves created. [Read more…]