It would have been easy for Auburn voters to lash out against a new charter for the city.

Last weekend, the city sent warning letters to homeowners describing the effects of a revaluation. Many people got a serious shock as the assessed value of their property jumped by double or triple digits. Estimates of possible property tax bills showed increases of thousands of dollars for some residents.

Anger and astonishment were the most common emotions.

Given the proximity of the release of the information to the vote on the new charter, a backlash against all things official on the ballot would not have been a surprise.

To their credit, a majority of Auburn voters were able to separate the revaluation process from the issues on the ballot. City voters strongly backed the new charter and supported the five bond questions and constitutional amendment.

The new charter will improve governance in the city and make it more responsive to voters. That it didn’t become embroiled in the property tax issue shows us that voters understood what was at stake.