The Consequences Of Saving On Taxes

By CURT CLARK

Published: May 19, 2006 12:00 am

To the Editor:

I thought that it would be helpful to provide the following information regarding the tax implication as a result of an increase in the mill rate. The following information is based on the proposed 27.3 mill rate.

For a home assessed at $200,000 (market value ~$400,000): $200x27.3 mills=$5,500/year or $455/month, which is an increase of $20/month from the previous year.

For a home assessed at $300,000 (market value ~$600,000): $300x27.3 mills=$8,250/year or $682.50/month, which is an increase of $30/month from the previous year.

For a home assessed at $400,000 (market value ~$800,000): $400x27.3 mills=$11,000/year or $910.00/month, which is an increase of $40/month from the previous year.

For a home assessed at $500,000 (market value ~$1 million): $500x27.3 mills=$13,750/year or $1,137.50/month, which is an increase of $50/month from the previous year.

So many people ask, âWhy is it that the percentage of increase in spending surpasses the percentage of income increase?â One simple answer: rapid residential development with a huge influx of residents with children. The population of Newtown has increased from 20,779 to 26,802 in the last 14 years. Student enrollment has increased from 3,428 to 5,647 in the last 15 years. According to Mr Rosenthal, there is a potential for an additional 2,700 housing units to be built on the 33 percent land still available for residential development. Newtown is one of the fastest growing towns in Connecticut and Newtownâs real estate value has significantly increased. The value of my home has increased by more than 70 percent in the last seven years. The cost to purchase a two-acre lot has tripled during this time. Will this trend continue if we do not support the annual operating budget?

If the majority of the residents want to save on taxes then we must live with the consequences of making this choice. We must be willing to (1) accept loss in the value of our homes, (2) must be willing to sacrifice quality education for our children, (3) must be willing to have less than adequate town services, (4) accept change in the character of the town when it becomes necessary to pursue means to increase the revenue sources.

Tom Murray

38 Charter Ridge DriveÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â May 16, 2006

(Editorâs Note: The Newtown Assessorâs office calculates assessed value of homes at 70 percent of market value, not 50 percent, as Mr Murray has done in this letter.)

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Thank you Brandon for providing a realistic view of the cost of war.

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Thank you for your service and thank you Brandon Moore. I come from a family of veterans that goes back decades. I am grateful for their sacrifice and have advocated for their rights, as an attorney. There is such a divide between the demands of military service and civilian everyday life that many do not appreciate. I watched my oldest brother manage the two cultures. In the current political climate, I want someone with a long track record of community advocacy that addresses the needs of the Newtown elderly, students, young families, the growing costs of everyday living expenses, gun violence, food insecurity, division amongst groups, long term strategizing for economic development and improvement of quality of life. I have lived in Newtown five years and still do not know all there is to know in order to address the needs of neighbors. Michelle has lived in Newtown for sixteen years and has a record of fighting for the needs of the entire community. At this moment in our existence that is the type of fighter that we need and that is why I am grateful for Brandon Moore's service but my family and I support Michelle Ku and hope that she will be the State Representative and that Brandon Moore will be involved in moving the needs of the Newtown community forward, with the rest of us learning the needs of the community.

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In the time since this letter was written, the developer looking to redevelop this location reasonably accommodated this concern with an entrance and exit onto state rt 34, a main road. They did not get the same accommodation Toll Brothers was granted for the Simpson's condos, condos on what used to be horse pasture, and before that a Native American camp site. As for the open space concerns, this site is located adjacent to public sports fields, walking distance to Sandy Hook Center, and there is a trail head for a nice walking path in the woods and along the river directly across Oakview. Potential residents would have generous access to open space.

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The Consequences Of Saving On Taxes

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