To the Editor:

While the last-minute work done by our town leaders to bring our 2021/22 Budget in-line with last year’s spending is admirable, I’m still voting against it in our upcoming referendum.

It appears many adjustments were made, most of which did not include reducing spending. In our current COVID economic crisis it’s not fair to ask the many residents who are suffering financially to approve this budget lavished with new spending. There are untimely multi-million-dollar capital spending projects, salary increases for most everyone employed by our town, and a general reserve account plump with cash to please the bond rating agencies so we can borrow even more money in the future.

It’s time for our town leaders to recognize COVID as an economic crisis and go to work for our citizenry who at no fault of their own are suffering financially, and cut spending. Thanks for your efforts, but I’m still a “No.”

Sincerely,

Robert W. Katrinak

Avalon Way, Sandy Hook April 23, 2021