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Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

Cathy and Ted Hunyadi are among the 3,297 Newtown residents who voted in this year’s referendum.—Bee Photo, Visca

NHS Announces Class Of 2026 Demi-Decile Students

Newtown High School announced the Class of 2026 demi-decile students on Tuesday, April 28. In the back row are, from left, Jack Carta, Jameson Piccuillo, Cameron Linnetz, Andrew Stango, Aidan Lourenco, Macey Arcario, Gillian Boughan, and Riana Mason. In the front row, from left, are Hannah Stowe, Nikita Mukka, Olivia Bossio-Dotolo, Gabriella DiNicola, Lauren Allen, Katherine Lye, and Sonya Feder. —Bee Photo, Visca

NUSAR Celebrates Third Annual Open House

Newtown Underwater Search & Rescue (NUSAR) members smile in front of their primary vehicle 992 during their third annual open house on Saturday, April 18. The event gave people the chance to meet the professionally trained, all volunteer dive rescue team and learn about their equipment and capabilities. —Bee Photo, Visca

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

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News

Cathy and Ted Hunyadi are among the 3,297 Newtown residents who voted in this year’s referendum.—Bee Photo, Visca

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

Voters rejected both the proposed 2026-27 town and school budgets at a referendum on April 28.

News

Real Food CT, Inc Receives $150,000 Purchasing Grant From State

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Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

News

Danbury Man Dies Following Hawleyville Road Motorcycle Crash

News

Light The Night For Fallen Firefighters Being Observed To May 3

Features

Clayton Boston, Jr and Mark August, both of Sandy Hook, showed off these catches — a 16 inch trout, five bass, and two pickerel — following a great day on Lake Zoar in June 1968. The boys declined to share what they had used for bait.—Bee file photo

The Way We Were

Newtown news of 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 years ago, from the archives of The Newtown Bee.

Features

Top Of The Mountain

Features

NUSAR Celebrates Third Annual Open House

Features

Invasive Insider: Protect Your Home Without Deadly Poisons

Features

My Backyard Habitat: More Garden Pollinators With 3x3x3 Planting Method

Sports

Ellie Garbowski tees off for the Nighthawks during an April 27 match at Newtown Country Club. —Bee Photos, Hutchison

Girls' Golfers Take On Notre Dame, Immaculate, And Masuk

Hawks beat two conference opponents, drop close match with another.

Sports

Boys' Lacrosse Battles Defending Champs And Defeats Pair Of Nonconference Foes

Sports

Tennis Teams Take On Barlow And Immaculate

Sports

Girls' Lacrosse Bounces Back From Defeats To Beat Bethel

Sports

Softball Team Breaks It Open Late In Win Over Pomperaug, Loses To Tough Rivals

Today's Events

Events for

Flagpole Photographers Workshop Day

May 02, 2026 08:50 am - 02:30 pm

Garden Club of Newtown Spring Plant Sale

May 02, 2026 09:00 am - 12:00 pm

“Small Things” by Lily Mac Hugh

May 02, 2026 09:30 am - 05:00 pm

54th SCAN Juried Art Show & Sale

May 02, 2026 10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Friends of C.H. Booth Library Donation Event

May 02, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

NHS Band and Guard Monthly Bottle and Can Drive

May 02, 2026 10:00 am - 02:00 pm

Stroller Cardio & Sculpt

May 02, 2026 10:15 am

“The Legacy of the Titanic”

May 02, 2026 01:00 pm

NHS Girls’ Lacrosse Mental Health Awareness Game

May 02, 2026 02:00 pm - 05:00 pm

14th Annual FUN Benefit Concert and Dinner: “Color My World with Hope”

May 02, 2026 04:00 pm

NHS Softball 15 For Life fundraiser game

May 02, 2026 07:00 pm

Reed Intermediate Drama Club Presents "Willy Wonka Jr"

May 02, 2026 07:00 pm

"The Shadow Box" performance

May 02, 2026 08:00 pm

Performance of "King Lear" (TheatreWorks New Milford)

May 02, 2026 08:00 pm

Your Horse — Our Trails

May 03, 2026 08:00 am

"The Shadow Box" performance

May 03, 2026 02:00 pm

Flagpole Photographers Virtual Competition & Exhibit Awards Presentation

May 03, 2026 02:00 pm

On The Trail concert

May 03, 2026 03:00 pm

“Here’s To Painting”

May 04, 2026 08:30 am - 04:30 pm

"Small Things" by Lily Mac Hugh

May 04, 2026 09:30 am - 08:00 pm

54th SCAN Juried Art Show & Sale

May 04, 2026 10:00 am - 06:00 pm

Music Monday with Principal Al

May 04, 2026 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Newtown Bridge Club Open & Limited Games

May 04, 2026 12:30 pm - 03:30 pm

Board of Education Facilities Committee hybrid meeting (agenda posted)

May 04, 2026 05:00 pm

Cookbook Club

May 04, 2026 06:00 pm

Glass & Sass: Jewelry Making Workshop

May 04, 2026 06:00 pm - 08:00 pm

***CANCELED*** Employee Medical Benefits Board meeting

May 04, 2026 06:15 pm

Backyard Bounty: A Guide To Vegetable Gardening

May 04, 2026 06:30 pm - 08:30 pm

Meet the Democratic Candidates for 106th District **rescheduled**

May 04, 2026 07:00 pm - 07:30 pm

Board of Selectmen meeting

May 04, 2026 07:30 pm

Special Editions

Home & Garden Spring 2026

Guide To Newtown 2026

Holiday Gift Guide 2025

For Better Health - Fall 2025

Home & Garden Fall 2025

Back-To-School 2025

For Better Health - Spring 2025

The Newtown Bee's Special Edition, 12/14/12

Newtown Resident Presents Restaurant Week To Benefit Danbury Hospital Nurses

West Hartford Author To Share Practical Guidance On Connecting With Loved Ones Living With Dementia

The Way We Were

Malcolm Andrew 'Andy' Bryant

Top Of The Mountain

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

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Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

NHS Announces Class Of 2026 Demi-Decile Students

NUSAR Celebrates Third Annual Open House

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

Real Food CT, Inc Receives $150,000 Purchasing Grant From State

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

Danbury Man Dies Following Hawleyville Road Motorcycle Crash

Light The Night For Fallen Firefighters Being Observed To May 3

The Way We Were

Top Of The Mountain

NUSAR Celebrates Third Annual Open House

Invasive Insider: Protect Your Home Without Deadly Poisons

My Backyard Habitat: More Garden Pollinators With 3x3x3 Planting Method

Girls' Golfers Take On Notre Dame, Immaculate, And Masuk

Boys' Lacrosse Battles Defending Champs And Defeats Pair Of Nonconference Foes

Tennis Teams Take On Barlow And Immaculate

Girls' Lacrosse Bounces Back From Defeats To Beat Bethel

Softball Team Breaks It Open Late In Win Over Pomperaug, Loses To Tough Rivals

Home & Garden Spring 2026

Guide To Newtown 2026

Holiday Gift Guide 2025

For Better Health - Fall 2025

Home & Garden Fall 2025

Back-To-School 2025

For Better Health - Spring 2025

The Newtown Bee's Special Edition, 12/14/12