Poor wording
To the editor:
Voters in Lawrence will soon head to the ballot box to decide whether they support a tax increase and expansion of the public library. The wording of the proposal, however, is perhaps the most confusing run-on sentence that I’ve read in my life. I’ve seen poorly worded referendums in the past, but the city should be proud for throwing this one up to the voters.
If anyone is interested in a tongue twister and a lesson in legalese, please find a sample ballot online, look at the question on Charter Ordinance No. 40, and have a good laugh. If the proposal’s wording is designed to confuse voters and subvert the basic tenets of democracy, then job well done.