FROM THE NEWSROOM: WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — A backer of a ballot proposal in Waterbury that would elect three aldermen each from five equally sized districts says a side benefit would be to increase minority representation in city government. The Republican-American reports that Larry B. Butler, Waterburys only black alderman, says his main goal proposing the sweeping overhaul of the citys election system is to make aldermen more accountable. Some black and Latino community leaders disagree. They say any sizable population could win political power by just showing up at the polls. Joyce Petteway, a former school commissioner and alderman who is black, says voter registration and voter education are the keys to empowering any minority community. She opposes aldermen by district. She fears it could lead to a small group of voters making the key decisions in low-turnout voting districts.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 10:18:31 +0000