One of the great things about moving from Los Angeles to Camden a half a dozen years ago is the simple joy of knowing my neighbors, the storekeepers, the select people on the town board, the librarians, the school teachers, the kids in the school and their parents - basically the townspeople.  

In a small town it's almost impossible to walk downtown and not share a wave, a smile, a handshake and a quick story.

I know the people that sell me my books, my dinners out, my birthday presents, my ice cream.

It's why I volunteer my time for the town.

I like to give back for all that I receive.

I vote in every election and try to educate myself about the issues I'm voting on.

The issue about a few innkeepers wanting to be able to serve dinner to their guests in their inns seemed a simple request.

In previous jobs I've traveled a great deal. I've been to all 50 states and have been on the road as much as 150 days a year in some years.

Traveling is tiring.

The thought of traveling to Camden for a small vacation in a wonderful local inn captured me years ago.

I vacationed here for 25 years before I could resist no more and moved here.

Getting to Camden is no small feat.

Sometimes after a 12 or 14 hour day of travel - to finally arrive at our destination and want to stay in for the night - especially if the weather is wet and cold (What? In Maine?) and get a nice dinner at our Inn before setting out the next morning to take on the town seems like a wonderful thing.  It is. I've done it.  It's especially nice if you're new to town and haven't had time to explore yet and discover the great restaurants....of which Camden has quite a few.

So as I drive up and down Route 1 lately....I'm confused.

I'm seeing more "No on 2" signs than I'm seeing signs posted for the other races in the state.

I'm further surprised by the fact that I see them posted at local Inns. 

Don't they want to serve dinners?

Ahhh....I find out.

They do.

They can. 

As it turns out - the Inns that have the "No on 2" signs - as I understand it - already have the right to serve their guests dinner.

All those signs - expensively done with a big media campaign - are so that 3 inns can't make the same offer.

One of those three Inns - only has 4 rooms.  

Ya think if they get the right to serve dinner - it's close down our town?

Now I've always been about fair play.  

Give people the same rules and let the best Innkeeper win.

You get better inns that way.

That's my take.

Next time you see me walking down the street - let's talk reasonably about this and all the other issues that we Camden residents work out ourselves.

This isn't about distant politicians in Washington - this is about friends on the street.

Lots of issues in our town are hotly discussed but I don't think I've seen one quite like this where fair play is on the ballot and people are fighting so hard against it.

Marc Ratner lives Camden