Public Comment: The Government Belongs to the People

The following public comment was offered at the meeting of the Amherst Town Council on April 6, 2026.

My name is Laura Jane Hunter, my pronouns are she/her, and I am a resident of Amherst. I am not here as a member of the school committee, but as a community member and a resident of District 2.

As the President of the Town Council, you have arbitrarily and capriciously decided that you must see all motions in advance. That is not how democracy works. 

This is not your Town Council- it belongs to the people who elected you.

This is not your money- it’s taxpayer money.

This is not your fiefdom. This is the people’s government. 

What I have seen since you were elected president is an arbitrary and capricious use of power. You know something is wrong if you repeatedly need to consult with your legal team. That’s a waste of my money as a taxpayer. All those legal fees could instead go to the schools. 

I demand you do your duty as an elected official. As President of Town Council it is your responsibility to make space for all voices. 

By stifling free speech, preventing motions, and closing meetings without listening to the constituents, you are showing fear, not power. What are you afraid of? This is not just your town – it’s our town.

You have tried to silence the DPW workers who are asking for fair wages. You have tried to silence the town councilors who are working for their constituents, and who are trying to breathe life into a stale system.

You might be a democratically elected official, but you are allowing the tentacles of totalitarianism and fascism to creep into our town. Local politics is where fundamental change is possible. It’s arguably the most important place to protect the constitutional rights that this government is trying to erode. I ask you to do your job. Stop trying to hold power and learn to share power. Stop trying to silence and learn to listen. 

This whole body has the rights to make motions and they don’t need your permission. It is anti-democratic to prevent motions; as President, you should not censor them. You should never take things off the agenda because they don’t align with your agenda.

If you are afraid of what the other councilors are bringing forward, then it’s time for self-reflection. Interrogate your own decision making. Instead of reactivity, be open. Our country is desperately trying to protect the constitution, and this body is a critical part of that protection. Do your duty. Stop brandishing unearned power and share power. 

I will remind you: you don’t get to vet motions in advance. Every single person here has the right to bring forward motions without fear of being silenced by you. I call on all the councilors here to stand firm to protect your rights and the rights of your constituents. Make motions. Put items on the agenda. Do not let the country’s descent into facism corrupt our local democracy.

Also, please fully fund the budget that the school committee has presented to you. It is based on putting our students first, which is the charge of the school committee. 

Thank you to all of you for your service, but especially to those of you who are not afraid to advocate for your constituents and fight back against the erosion of our rights.

Laura Jane Hunter

Laura Jane Hunter is a resident of Amherst’s District 2