What We Budget

And What We Spend

To the Editor:

We all know there are budgets and then there is what we spend. They are two very different things. Budgets are nice but what we spend is what really counts.

This year the Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra has been telling the voters that the town budget is up only $58,000 from the previous adopted budget while the school budget is up $680,000. Seems reasonable!

 What the voters have not been told is that the town budget is up over $1.3 million from what they spent last year, while school spending is up only $680,000. That’s a whopping increase for the town, over four percent, while the school spending is planned to be up only one percent.

What the first selectman has not told the voters is that she went on a town spending spree. Seems that the town got a windfall bonus of $716,000 from reduced interest and principle and instead of giving this back to the taxpayers she spent it. In addition the town moved another $450,000 from the previous spending line to the capital line and spent those savings too. All told the town side is actually planning on spending an additional $1.3 million and hiding this from the voters by playing with the books. Wall Street and Enron accounting comes to Main Street.

Just to be specific here are town departments that shared in the spending spree:

Technology increased by $46,385

Pension Fund increased by $235,339

Employee benefits increased by $289,046

Insurance increased by $73,000

Communications increased by $31,712

Police increased by $181,933

Highway increased by $439,883

Total town increased spending for these departments of $1,297,298. That’s a long way from the $58,000 they have been trying to convince you they were increasing spending.

I’m sure the first selectman, Board of Finance, and The Newtown Bee will have a very creative spin on these numbers. No doubt they will try to confuse you even more. The facts are the facts, however. Town spending is up twice the increase of the education side and on a percentage basis three times the increase.

As Paul Harvey, the commentator, used to say, “Now you know the rest of the story.” The story the first selectman didn’t want you to know.

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                           April 14, 2010