First Selectman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers and Selectman Dave McKane said they will file complaints with the state Elections Enforcement Commission against Keep Oxford Green, a local political action committee (PAC).
Drayton-Rogers and McKane held a press conference Wednesday alleging that Keep Oxford Green violated three provisions of state election law.
“I’ve called today’s press conference because you are being lied to, the press is being lied to, the voters are being lied to and the general public is being lied to,” Drayton-Rogers said.
The Alleged Violations
First, the PAC allegedly accepted a $500 cash donation, when state election laws say anything over $100 has to be presented by check, the Democrats said.
(The Keep Oxford Green donations are visible at the end of this story)
Second, the PAC was incorporated for a single referendum question on the Nov. 3 ballot concerning low-income, high-density housing.
However, there is no such question on the ballot.
Finally, state election law prohibits a PAC formed for a referendum from endorsing a candidate.
McKane Not Welcomed
While the first two allegations might sound like technicalities, the third allegation is where it gets interesting.
The Democrats say that Keep Oxford Green showed its bias at a rally it organized Saturday by not allowing McKane and Town Attorney Fran Teodosio into the event.
McKane said that when he and Teodosio arrived at the rally, PAC organizer Tanya Carver told them to leave.
“When I was told we were not welcome to what was represented as an open picnic, she said that it was a private affair and if we did not leave she would call the police,” McKane said.
That action shows the group favors Republican candidates, Drayton-Rogers said — something state law prohibits certain PACs — including Keep Oxford Green — from doing.
Keep Oxford Green Says
Keep Oxford Green organizer Ed Carver said McKane was not allowed in because the rally was promoted to Oxford residents against high density housing.
“This was not a forum and was not intended as an open discussion, that is not what this was for,” he said.
Keep Oxford Green is circulating a petition calling for a referendum, of some kind, on low income, high density housing.
So far Keep Oxford Green has collected 300 signatures — they only need 200 for a referendum.
They are calling for a referendum after the upcoming Nov. 3 election, Carver said.
If re-elected, Drayton-Rogers said she would evaluate the petition and its question.
Keep Oxford Green believes Drayton-Rogers and some members of the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission want to build large, high density, low-income housing units in town.
Drayton-Rogers and members of the Planning and Zoning Commission have said they wanted to establish local affordable housing regulations in order to protect the town.
As is stands, the town does not have any local regulations over where affordable housing can go.
That means a developer is free to propose affordable housing wherever there is a water and sewer hook up, members of the Planning and Zoning Commission said during a June 18 workshop.
