Tell Us: Should Students Speak Out About the Municipal Budget at Town Meetings?

Every year in late winter to early spring, municipalities prepare, discuss and deliberate the coming fiscal year's budget.

In most cases, particularly in recent years, calls for frugality have echoed through town hall corridors. The economy is tight, state and federal grants could be lost and taxpayers say that they cannot shoulder the financial burden of so many services any longer.

Yet, during these budget debates, it seems that those directly affected by the cuts are starting to come to the podium to advocate for maintaining a program, a service or a position.

In some cases, those voices come from residents who are not yet taxpayers and who are younger than the voting age and, therefore, cannot cast a ballot during the annual budget referendum. Instead, they rely upon their voice to effect change.

before the group convened in the Hicks Memorial Municipal Building gymnasium. A Tolland Middle School student spoke to town and school officials about his concern that there could be a reduction in hours for the teaching staff associated with the school band.

In comments on the site and in email, the 12-year-old boy was praised for his eloquence and bravery. He's not so sure he was either or whether his few minutes at the podium would make officials reconsider the possible budget change.

Our question is this: When and how is it appropriate for someone who cannot participate in a referendum by filling out a ballot, but who is directly affected by the final decision, address the governing board of a town or the taxpayers? Should it be during a New England-style Annual Town Meeting? Should it be in a letter to the town leaders? Should it be in an online blog, at a rally on the town green or through a petition circulated by social media?

What do you think?