To The Editor:

This year’s budget vote was a wake up call.

The 2026–27 budget passed by the slimmest of margins: the $50,982,035 town budget passed 1,938 to 1,891 (47 votes), and the $95,561,919 school budget passed 1,938 to 1,897 (41 votes). Together, that’s a $146,543,954 budget with a 3.48% spending increase and a mill rate jump to 29.30 mills.

Nearly half of the voters who showed up said this budget is too high. Their votes matter just as much as the “yes” votes. As a Legislative Council, our job is to listen to the whole town, not just the side that squeaked out a win.

What troubles me is this. When the first budget had failed, my Democratic opponents were already signaling they wouldn’t support real cuts, claiming “half the voters” wanted no reductions. That logic doesn’t magically disappear now that a different half is saying spending is too much. You can’t use “half the voters” as a shield in one scenario and ignore them in another.

Only 21% of voters turned out. A small slice of Newtown just set a nearly $147 million budget that affects every homeowner, family, and business. With turnout this low and margins this tight, nobody has a mandate for more spending. We have a mandate to listen, to be disciplined, and to protect taxpayers.

I’ll keep fighting for a Council that listens to everyone, which includes the yes voters, no voters, and those who stayed home but still pay the bills.

I was elected to do real work, and I intend to keep doing it. My hope is that my Democratic colleagues take this referendum seriously and come back next year with a budget that shows more respect for taxpayers.

If you have thoughts on how we should approach next year’s budget, I want to hear from you whether you supported this budget or not.

Please email me at benruben.newtown@gmail.com with your questions or concerns.

My comments are my own and not of the Legislative Council of which I am an elected member.

Ben Ruben

Legislative Council District 3

Newtown