Restore Funds For Education

To the Editor:

The voters of Newtown said No to a budget because the allocation of resources between the municipal and education sides does not reflect the needs of the community. In addition, the voter turnout was extremely low compared to the two previous years, a sign that the voters feel disenfranchised by the budget process.

The Legislative Council missed every opportunity to make adjustments to the proposed budget after hearing the overwhelming cries to restore some funding to the education side of the budget. They also refused to figure out how to have an advisory question which would have given them important information on the taxpayer’s sentiment.

How is it that a new administration, which campaigned on collaboration and supporting education, could have engaged in a budget process which so thoroughly divided the community? How could they have missed the strong community support for our educational system when they voted to sustain a $2.5 million cut to the education budget? Why did they refuse to reinstate even one dollar to the education budget?

Now is the time for the Legislative Council’s nine members who voted for this failed budget to understand that Newtown has a historically strong desire for a Blue Ribbon school system. The allocation of budget dollars between the town and education side does not reflect those desires. I urge the council members to restore some funds to the education side and return the budget to the voters. I am confident they will find the community will support a more balanced budget.

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                           April 28, 2010