FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — An election to decide the future of Framingham and how officials will govern the 70,000 people who live there is scheduled for Tuesday.
Residents are set to decide if they want to change the town's charter - and become a city.
This isn’t the first time the town’s status has come to a vote, it’s actually the seventh, and supporters said the antiquated system isn’t adequately serving residents.
“We have large segments of the community that have no representation, they have no say in how their government operates,” former Selectmen John Stefanini said.
Stefanini and others want the town to become a city - replacing the town manager with a mayor and the selectmen with an 11 member council.
Supporters say not only will the city structure create more accountability for officials, but a mayor would give Framingham a voice with Gov. Charlie Baker.
“It's a very historic and quaint form of government, kind of romantic, but not very functional,” he said.
Opponents, on the other hand, said that the historic town government system is proven to work, and having a mayor puts too much power in one person’s hands.
“We have a government that's a pure government that's by the people, we don't want it to be a government that's run by the politicians,” Audrey Hall said.
Hall and others said they're not opposed to change - but that it needs to be change that's right for the rapidly developing area
“I don't think you have to be a mayor to be heard in the state of Massachusetts,” she said.
Several thousand people signed a petition to get this charter question on the ballot. Polls open in Framingham at 7 a.m.
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