Let Them Eat Cake

To the Editor:

In a recent article in The Newtown Bee, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal questioned School Superintendent Evan Pitkoff’s use of funds to distribute a flyer encouraging voters to pass the upcoming town budget. You would think that a man so concerned about the expenditure of several hundred or maybe thousand dollars on copy paper would be absolutely apoplectic about the foolhardy expenditure of millions of dollars on a new town hall that nobody wants. But not our first selectman. In Mr Rosenthal’s world, only his motives are pure and “other officials” abuse the public trust.

When a citizen steps into the voting booth, he or she is hoping for a leader that will inspire; maybe a John Kennedy or a Winston Churchill. Instead, we got Marie Antoinette. Mr Rosenthal’s “let them eat cake” dismissal of the legitimate concerns of hundreds of townspeople who attended a public meeting in February to discuss the state of our school system and his obstinate, some would say, quixotic, quest for a new town hall is at best, troubling and, at worst, dangerous for the future direction of our town. He has made clear that regardless of voter sentiment, he is proceeding with his pet project. The schools may be in dire need of repair, but Mr Rosenthal will certainly have a nicer view out his office window.

Now Mr Rosenthal turns his attention to the town budget. Rather than simply admitting that he thinks the schools are getting enough and maybe too much money and engaging in a thoughtful and reasoned debate with Dr Pitkoff over the Board of Education’s portion of the budget, he and his surrogates in town government have instead made a calculated and disingenuous attack on Dr Pitkoff’s character. It’s the oldest and, frankly, most shameful, of political tactics; if you can’t win the argument on the merits, attack the messenger.

The school budget has been trimmed to the bone. A vote against this budget is a tacit approval of the way Mr Rosenthal and his surrogates run this town because a No vote will only embolden them to make further cuts. So if you’re excited about watching millions being spend on a town hall we don’t need while being told there isn’t enough money to fix leaking schools roofs or broken auditorium chairs, then Herb Rosenthal is your guy. But if you care about the future of our town, one which will be greatly influenced by the quality of the education we can provide to our children, please make the time and vote for the proposed budget.

Robert Murray

19 Farm Meadow Road                                                  March 27, 2007