No More Tax Increases
No More Tax Increases
To the Editor:
I have been paying property taxes in Newtown since 1983 and feel we are taxing ourselves out of town. I will vote against the budget and urge you to show up Tuesday and likewise vote No. If one compares what has happened here in Newtown for the past five years to the US Consumer Price Index and what other towns have experienced, it is clear we are out of control in our taxing.
Year/Town                 Consumer  Newtown       Bethel    Brookfield    Danbury            New
Tax of CPI                    Price                                                                    Milford      Increase                   Index
                 (Annual)
Proposed                 5.1%        3.6%        2.1%      0.7%        2.3%
    â07
2006-07Â Â Â Â 3.2%Â Â Â Â Â 4.6%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4.8%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â -4.2%Â reevaluation
2005-06Â Â Â Â 3.4%Â Â Â Â Â 4.8%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3.9%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5.7%Â Â Â Â Â -7.4%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3.6%
2004-05Â Â Â Â 2.7%Â Â Â Â Â 6.4%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3.8%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3.4%Â Â Â Â Â Â 2.3%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5.6%
2003-04    2.3%     7.5% reevaluation 3.5%     -3.8%        5.3%
2002-03Â Â Â Â 1.6%Â Â Â Â Â 6.3%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3.9%
*Actual is a 4.3% proposed but over 50% is for a bond payment.
It is not that I would not like to spend the money, but I have had enough with the runaway tax increases. I want to go even further and see a constitutional amendment similar to the California Proposition 13 to get our property taxes under control. Please say No on Tuesday.
Warren Hoppmeyer
23 Cobblers Mill Road, Sandy Hook                              May 2, 2007