In an earlier post I wrote an imagined conversation between supporters of referendum on Council Bill 58 and an unwitting shopper being approached to sign their petition. Yesterday I had a real life encounter and it went like this:
“Excuse me sir, are you a registered voter in Howard County?”
“Why yes I am.”
“Would you sign our referendum petition to keep more big box stores out of Howard County?”
“More big box stores?”
“Yes, stores over 55,000 square feet.”
“That’s a big box store?”
“Yes.”
“Then you consider this a big box store?” I had just come out of the Safeway store in Long Gate.
“Yes.”
“Isn’t this really about the planned grocery store in Turf valley that was unanimously approved by both the Planning Board and the County Council?”
“Yes. We really don’t want that grocery store. I am with the Howard County Citizens Association and we believe the council was wrong in approving this. If you sign our petition it will allow the people to decide.”
“But the people do decide when they elect the council members. Why should I waste taxpayer dollars second guessing them? I elected them to make these informed decisions.”
“We are just trying to help the council do a better job.”
That was her final word. I think at this point she realized that I was not an unwitting shopper. Needless to say I didn’t sign the petition.
Has anyone else been approached with a similar or different spin on this?
Wood Stork and Chicks
16 hours ago
