Let’s Live Within Our Means

To the Editor:

I enthusiastically support the suggestion by Mr Richardson in his April 14 “Say No To A Budget Increase” letter to the editor calling for a ten percent reduction in the town budget.

Most sectors of the economy are suffering from severe economic hardship, save the public sector, especially the teachers.

Mr Kearney in his April 7 letter to the editor “An Unsustainable System” stated: “Total educational salaries have increased 43 percent since 2002 .....and benefits a whopping 89 percent in Newtown.”

The problem with the town budget is obvious to anyone who has ever run a business. One of the main ways the private sector controls costs is through layoffs/reduction of hours and wage concessions. In our present situation, these tools are put in the “nondiscretionary” lock box and the result is a budget which is essentially on auto pilot for yearly increases which have become unsustainable.

We are fortunate in Newton as we actually vote on the budget.

I urge my fellow Newtowners to reject the proposed budget. I also request that, when it is rejected, substantial cuts be made, so we don’t waste our time voting for the same budget with minuscule cuts over and over .

Let’s start the long process of reversing yearly tax increases, pay down our debt and live within our means.

Ronald Polard

5 Point O Rocks Road, Newtown                                   April 14, 2011