Members of the Greenfield City Council’s so-called, “protest vote” against a state-mandated requirement making accessory dwelling units a right for multi-family homes was not an act of courage. It was an astonishing act of petulance, selfishness, and immorality.
One City Council member framed his puerile vote against the measure as a defense of liberty at the local level. The liberty of property owners denied their rights with onerous and exclusionary zoning bylaws that restrict what can be done with their property was apparently less important than local government liberty to prohibit certain housing and perpetuate the hardship it causes for so many.
Another member rationalized his childish vote against the measure as a “parting gift.” He claimed he doesn’t think our duly-elected representatives at the state level should tell stubborn municipalities that willfully perpetuate the housing crisis for the citizens of our commonwealth what to do.
The notion that the state government can’t tell local governments what to do regarding housing is nonsense. Perhaps these petulant councilors need a remedial civics lesson. It seems their agenda is to be a belligerent obstacle to basic and urgent housing needs. And, as politicians often do, they attempt frame their immoral principles as patriotism. It’s not.
Michael Seward
Sunderland