Former State Rep. Leads Fight Against Framingham City Charter

FRAMINGHAM, MA – A former state representative who originally backed Framingham's proposal to adopt a city structure of government is now leading the effort against the proposed charter. John Stasik has been named chairman of "Not This Charter," a ballot question committee comprised of residents against the proposed city charter.

Stasik is a former Framingham selectman and planning board member, and current member of Friends of Saxonville. He was once a part of Framingham First, a group that supported the city's charter effort.

"Once I had every hope that the time was right to modify Framingham government," Stasik said in a statement. "I joined Framingham First and believed a charter commission would frame a government structure that would be good for Framingham. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The city charter created by the commission reduces representation and citizen engagement. To totally dismantle our government and replace it with something different, it better be right. This is not it and adopting it would be a big mistake."

Stasik believes Framingham's proposed charter would delegate power unevenly, leaving it in the hands of too few people.

"One of the reasons Framingham has not turned into a major metropolis is because involved people don’t have to be professional politicians. Their full focus is on advocacy," Stasik said in a press release. "The proposed city structure puts too much power in the hands of too few people. Big money and special interests follow centralized power, and that can change the entire feel of a community."

Not This Charter said in a statement that it backs the Town Meeting's decision to reduce its size and voluntarily impose stricter ethics laws. The group supports potential changes to the current government structure but not the proposed charter.

"There’s no need to push this city charter through when better options are forthcoming which will ensure a higher level of citizen participation and have a greater impact on Framingham long term," Stasik said. "We will support smart change, but not this city charter change."

Framingham will vote on the city charter April 4.

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