Acton Voters to Decide on More Liquor Licenses, Dropping Common Core, Union Contracts

Acton voters Tuesday night will decide on dropping Common Core standards in schools, adding more liquor licenses, and approving union contracts—among other issues.

A special town meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School auditorium. Acton Patch will post results tonight as soon as they’re announced.

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Voters will decide on 13 pieces of legislation. Each requires a majority for passage.

• Article 1 is a citizens’ petition for local schools to drop Common Core standards in favor of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) standards. “The Common Core State Standards and associated testing ... have been implemented without parental input and threaten parental control of their children’s education,” the petition reads. “Education is most effectively handled at the local level, where teachers, administrators and parents can have direct control over school curriculum.”
• Article 2 would made 16 more full liquor licenses available in town. “For many years, economic development in Acton has been hampered by the relatively low number of liquor licenses permitted for issuance by the Town as governed by state quota,” the petition reads. “And, for many years during public planning forums, Acton residents have voiced their desire for more restaurants in town.”
• Articles 4 and Article 5 would fund collective bargaining agreements with the local police and highway workers, respectively.

Read all 13 articles on tonight’s ballot

Photo: George Kelly via Flickr