COURT HOUSE — The Middle Township Regular Republican Organization filed a petition Aug. 13 for a referendum Nov. 6 on the question of increasing the size of the township’s governing body from three to five members.

Mayor F. Nathan Doughty is on record saying the petition is just a way for Republicans to try to get seats on committee, which has had a historically Democratic majority.

But Republican leaders disagree.

“The township is too big and too diverse to have just three committee members,” said Robert “Budd” Springer, Republican municipal leader, who spearheaded the petition drive.

He said there are 16 unique communities within the township and they deserve to have a voice in government.

While collecting signatures for the petition in the parking lot of the Court House Post Office, Springer said he was able to feel the pulse of township residents.

“People are concerned about property taxes, over development, poor planning, increased traffic and many other issues,” he said. “They aren’t happy with some of the decisions made by committee recently.”
In a press release issued at the beginning of the petition drive, Springer pointed to the approval of 4,000 new residential units in Rio Grande, Swainton and Burleigh as well as the Indian Trail mining license as questionable decisions made by committee.

“How will this development affect our schools, police, fire and rescue personnel and the worsening traffic problems?” Springer asked.

According to Springer, the signatures must now be verified by Administrator James Alexis and committee members must approve the petition before Aug. 24 so the county clerk can put the question on the Nov. 6 ballot.

The Republican organization needed 827 valid signatures for the petition to be put on the ballot. That is 15 percent of the people in the township who voted in the last General Assembly election.

Springer said he sent the petition in with 960 signatures to ensure there was enough of a cushion to avoid the problems he had last year.

In 2006, Springer tried to have the same question put on the ballot, but said he was given erroneous information and fell short in the number of signatures needed.

“I take full responsibility for the problems last year,” he said. “We did get bad information, but I should have verified it.”

Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com