Taxpayers Are Being Left Out

Of The Process

To the Editor:

The first selectman and the Legislative Council appear to be afraid to ask the Newtown taxpayers if they want to pay to take down buildings at Fairfield Hills. A few years ago they circumvented the taxpayer’s approval to take down a building and construct a parking lot for $3.5 million plus interest. They did this by saying that the expenditure was part of the Fairfield Hills lease and thus exempt from the Newtown Charter. Naturally the taxpayers were outraged and demanded an end to this type expenditure without their approval, and the Legislative Council promised to fix the so-called loophole.

Now fast forward to the lease being proposed from Claris Construction for Woodbury Hall. The same deal is being proposed by Claris, they will take down the building at the town expense. However that would necessitate the taxpayer’s approval. The solution being proposed is that rather than pay Claris to take the building down, we’ll simply abate the rent charged to zero for 30 years. That way the first selectman says she does not have to involve the Legislative Council and the taxpayers in approving the expenditure, and the Legislative Council seems to be willing to go along with this abuse.

The obvious question is why the first selectman and Legislative Council are afraid to ask the taxpayers for approval. Why structure the wording in the lease to make it appear we are not paying for taking down the building when everyone knows we are by reducing the rent to zero for 30 years. Why is everyone looking the other way with a “wink and a nod,” just like they did when the town committed the $3.5 million for the parking lot.

Our elected officials are using semantics to circumvent the taxpayer’s ability to approve or disapprove a significantly large expenditure of Newtown’s assets. The fact that we are reducing the rent to zero for 30 years rather than writing a check does not change what is happening.  The taxpayers are purposely being left out the process. Again!

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                           April 11, 2012