Flier labels officials 'Libertarians'

WINCHESTER -- A flier naming two Winchester selectmen and their secretary as Libertarians found its way anonymously around town and stuck in at least one selectman's craw Wednesday.

The flier claims several Winchester officials, including board secretary Dawn Lincoln, school board member Bill Campbell, and selectmen Brian D. Moser and Susan M. Newell are Free State Project members and supporters. The flier also says that Free Staters want to close all public schools; eliminate social security; reduce government by getting rid of all public services including police, fire, ambulance and highway services; legalize drugs and prostitution; and replace town services with private companies.

Moser issued a statement at the board's Wednesday meeting.

"These lies are being made in an effort to stop those of us who are trying to make this town a better place," Moser said.

"Whoever wrote this: Go to hell."

According to its Web site, The Free State Project is a movement to get 20,000 Libertarians to move to New Hampshire and "exert the fullest practical effort toward the creation of a society in which the maximum role of government is the protection of life, liberty, and property."

Free Staters say they believe in less taxation and regulation and the expansion of individual rights and free markets, the Web site says.

Lincoln said she is an active member of the Free State Project and moved to New Hampshire from Connecticut to join the cause.

"(The flier) was a gross exaggeration of the truth ... it was just trying to get people's feelings up," Lincoln said. "I moved to New Hampshire because I wanted to work with people who believe the way I do about freedom and where they don't want big government like they do in Massachusetts. That isn't what New Hampshire wants, I don't think."

Newell said she is not a member of the Free State Project but also believes the flier is a "gross exaggeration of libertarian principles."

She said that a recent town decision, for example, has encompassed a libertarian principle: going with a private company to manage its waste.

Newell said though she didn't run for office on a libertarian platform, she did run on several libertarian principles, including smaller government and accountability. She has also posted comments on a local libertarian Web site.

"Libertarians run a whole range," Newell said. "I am probably more moderate."

As for whether Newell is pushing a libertarian agenda, she said, "I thought politics were all about political agendas.

"I am conducting the selectmen's business in accordance with the law," she said. "There is absolutely no way for me to use my office to do anything but conduct town business.

"I hope people will judge my time as a selectman by my actions and not by unsubstantiated allegations."

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