Show You Care By Voting

To the Editor:

I am writing to urge you to vote Yes in the budget referendum on Tuesday, May 9. The first referendum balloting produced a very low turnout of just 22 percent of the town’s eligible votes with a resulting defeat of the proposed budget by 53 votes. The budget before you now was reduced again by the Legislative Council with a cut in the town funding of $100,000 and in the school funding of $195,000. Each of these budgets has now been reduced significantly through three review processes and represents a very lean package of resources needed to serve our growing community.

My family has a 35-year history in Newtown and we are very proud of our connections with this community. Although our kids are gone and we ourselves are approaching full retirement (with all the financial stresses and strains that come with the end of a work life), we continue to care deeply for the welfare of the town. I believe that the combined municipal budget is lean and that we must continue to provide at least this level of funding for town and school purposes so that today’s residents, young and old, will continue to experience a strong and supportive community with good schools and services.

All of us have a responsibility to our neighbors and to our own families to protect and preserve an acceptable quality of life in Newtown. We can show that we care by voting.  

Thanks for listening.

Pat Llodra

90 Riverside Road, Sandy Hook May 3, 2006