Doug Rook’s column about the initiative and referendum processes raises many legitimate issues that should be addressed (“Maine’s broken referendum process needs our help,” Nov. 16). However, he did not mention the source of the growth in the numbers of such ventures recently.

I believe it is a result of frustration with the legislative process in general. In many cases, the Legislature ignores the results of votes already decided, or overrides them. And even during the path that these issues must go through, legislators often pass the buck. They send the “stakeholders” out to develop a bill that is palatable to all the invested parties, and the result is a bill that is often toothless, and more important, the bill that is eventually passed may not be good public policy; just because the stakeholders can live with it, does not mean it is good law. The legislators would rather not have to debate the possible consequences of the bill, or to explain their reasoning. They can justify it on the basis that the stakeholders are happy.

So I understand why the public is frustrated and often outraged when the legislature distorts or ignores the voters’ decisions. So rather than just tinker with the byzantine process, first deal with the maneuvers the Legislature comes up with to avoid what their responsibility and job is — to develop legislation to solve a problem that is good public policy and addresses public concerns.

Joan Sturmthal

Hallowell

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