City of Groton officials are systematically silencing their constituents from voting on important budget issues. First the City Council moved an increased $5 million sewer budget from the Freeman's vote to Groton Utilities, doubling citizen's water fees. The voters no longer have a voice on the sewer budget. What they now have is an expensive monthly sewer fee that increased some resident's city taxes as much as 100 percent.

Now Groton city officials past and present are placing "no" signs throughout the city telling you to give up your earned right to an annual town budget referendum. Why do city officials also want to squash our right to a budget vote in the town? City property owners pay about 75 percent of all taxes to the Town of Groton to support education, roads, police, public works and all other departments. We deserve a town budget vote!

Taxpayers and resident voters should be wary of and question the motives of local officials who wish to limit your participation and silence you. As a Groton city resident and former city councilor I stand with the 2,400 petitioners and others who will proudly vote "yes" on Nov. 6 to ensure our voting rights.

Jay Dempsey

Groton