The FSP has influenced small-town politics as well. The most notable recent example came in Croydon, a town with a population of 800. At an annual town meeting with low attendance, an FSP member and town select board member surprised those present with a motion to cut the school budget by more than half. He argued that spending was rising while student achievement was not, and questioned how valuable activities like sports and music education were for students, The New York Times reported. Due to the meeting’s low turnout, the motion passed 20 to 14.
This shocked the small town, and spurred the creation of a grassroots movement dubbed “We Stand Up for Croydon.” The group successfully forced another public meeting where the budget was restored by a vote of 377 to 2, according to the Times.