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We expected tyrrany from an 18th century king, not a 21st century mayor

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To the editor:

In the 18th century, the King took property and there could be no say about it. To stop this tyranny, due process was enacted into law and has been revered and protected since.
N.H. statutes -18 of them require public hearings where "taking'"of property, liberty and rights occur. It had been well defined and substantiated that money is property, ergo a statute "taking" our property-our money- requires due process.
The budget process is a good example. Yet Mayor Callaghan denied us due process by ordering a five-minute time limit to speak and be heard, A mere five minutes to cover any concern we had on a 400+ page, $150 million proposed budget.
Congratulations Mayor, you are changing history by having Rochester lead the state in ignoring due process law. A law that is close to 300 years old. Hooray... not really. I believe it puts Rochester in a very bad light.
Even worse, our due process rights are being trampled despite having no good reason. Public hearings do not last for hours. Many times there isn't even anyone there to speak. Examples: Only seven gave testimony at the budget public hearing and a mere three people at the last public hearing, yet he continues to trample our due process rights.
Is his five-minute limit a solution looking for a problem?
The examples given show there is no problem. Is he just trying to oppress those with opposing views? Where does he get the right to limit time when "taking" property? I believe he cited case law Wright v Anthony as precedence to allow him to do it. Really?
According to a New Hampshire Municipal Association publication Running A Smooth Pubic Hearing "Time Limits and Repetitive Comments
Reasonable time limits on each person's comments might be imposed, but they should be different depending upon the type of meeting or hearing involved. In the context of public comment periods at public meetings, time limits of three to five minutes on each person's testimony have been found acceptable within the framework of the First Amendment's protection of free speech. See, e.g., Wright v. Anthony, 733 F.2d 575 (8th Cir. 1984). However, when there are specific parties in interest at a public hearing (such as a land use applicant), time limits should be used sparingly and should be considerably longer. A party in interest is one whose property rights are at issue, and limitations on that party's ability to speak should be imposed only if necessary."
First notice that meetings and hearings are referenced. Two very different events. As you can see The NHMA attorney states that "Wright v Anthony applies to freedom of Speech" and not Due Process hearings where there is a "taking." Our Mayor knows of this NHMA letter yet recently sat in on a City Council Codes and Ordinances Meeting meeting July 7 where a change to council rules of order Public Hearings has been proposed as an attempt to put into rule his oppressive actions and reads as follows:
For each public hearing item, a speaker shall be provided a single opportunity for comment, limited to five (5) minutes with the five (5) minutes beginning after the obligatory statement of name and address by the speaker; is being considered.
The Committee correctly agreed to keep this due process restriction in committee for further review.
As for Mayor Callaghan? Will he continue to "dig in his heels" and trample our due process right with no good reason for doing so? Does he get enjoyment when he starts that tyranny clock to limit due process, like he did the other night to the three brave souls who cared about our city enough to show up and give public hearing testimony, albeit only for five minutes each.
YOUR 5 MINUTES ARE UP. YOU MUST BE SILENT NOW! I AM THE MAYOR! I AM IN CHARGE! Is this what we wanted when we went to the polls last November? Well, so far, this is what we got.

- Cliff Newton,

Rochester.

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