Town meeting took longer to pass a $20 cussing fine Monday night than it did to pass a $72 million budget. The budget passed without an argument, but the fines for cussing, smoking pot in public and shoveling snow in the street drew lengthy debate.

Town meeting took longer to pass a $20 cussing fine Monday night than it did to pass a $72 million budget.

The budget passed without an argument, but the fines for cussing, smoking pot in public and shoveling snow in the street drew lengthy debate from the 297 residents who attended town meeting under the glare of a pack of television news cameras.

Although James Thomas motioned to take the cussing article out of order for the convenience of the media, residents shot the move down after former Selectman Lincoln D. Andrews said, “I don’t believe our town meeting should be dictated by the press cycle.”

When the article came up, Police Chief Bruce D. Gates did not present a list of cuss words that would invoke a $20 ticket, explaining it all came down to the discretion of the police officer.

“I don’t see an issue, we have a lot of things to do. This is not a priority,” he said.

Gates said cussing tickets would not be issued to two guys watching a sporting event that went bad or if someone who drops an ice cream drops an “F-bomb.”

Former Selectman Adam M. Bond supported the intent, but questioned the vague wording of the cussing fine, which allows tickets to be issued for addressing or accosting another person with obscene or profane language.

Town meeting applauded James Knox when he said, “Accosted or addressed, I don’t care, they shouldn’t be using that language. I have no problem with it.”

People who swear in Middleboro now face a $20 fine, a $300 fine for smoking marijuana and fines of $20-$50 for disorderly conduct.

As Gates stood in the glare of several television cameras, he said the bylaws had already been passed, he was just asking to decriminalize the bylaws and change the way they are enforced.

When Gates was asked to explain the difference between disorderly conduct that merits a $20 fine, and disorderly conduct that can result in a $50 fine, he deadpanned, “$30 – that’s the difference.”

The fine for swearing was approved by a 183-50 vote.

Town meeting, by a vote of 106 to 78 vote, rejected a proposal that would require voter ID. Town Clerk Allison J. Ferreira said that Middleboro had not been the subject of any ID complaints.

Gale Twomey said voter identification laws disenfranchise voters, particularly the elderly and disabled who don’t drive.

“Voter ID requires additional activities and serves no purpose ... I don’t think disenfranchising is a way we want to go. Some days we hold our breath to get a quorum,” Twomey said. “Let’s not look at closing the door on anyone.”

Town meeting also shot down a proposal to take rent control out of the hands of selectmen and establish a separate five-member board.