By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

AUBURN – Auburn’s new charter sailed to an easy win Tuesday, taking 66 percent in citywide voting.

“Yes” votes totaled 3,861, compared to 1,972 “no” votes.

Commission Chairman John Cleveland said he was expecting a positive result.

The committee began meeting in January and has heard little criticism during the last 11 months.

“There are controversial issues that would drive people to vote no,” he said. “Most of what we’ve heard has been positive, so we’ve been pretty optimistic.

The new charter is easier to read and understand, with less legal jargon, more modern language and a simple summary of the entire document in a preamble.

Councilors now will have to persuade voters before going into debt.

The new charter requires a public vote before the city can borrow more than 9 percent of the budget for new buildings and land purchases, about $5.5 million this year.

That’s one of the biggest changes in city rules.

It also moves the city’s general election from even-numbered to odd-numbered years and requires city councilors to work with the School Committee on financial audits, capital project budgeting and adopting a purchasing policy.

The new charter becomes law in January. The next step will be the municipal vote in 2006, when voters select city councilors, a mayor and School Committee representatives.

That will be the last even-numbered year for a city election.

Municipal elections will move to odd- numbered years in 2007, with elected officials then serving two-year terms.

Two charter requirements – joint committees to oversee city and school buying and oversee auditing – have already been created. Cleveland said that’s fine, but the charter goes a step further.

“Putting it in the charter makes it institutional,” he said. “A new council or a new School Committee cannot get around that requirement if it’s in the charter.”

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