Where’s The Accountability?

To the Editor,

On May 15, I attended my first public meeting to observe the process at work. Since the budget was clearly defeated by the taxpayers, the Legislative Council did nothing. Where is the accountability? Does the Legislative Council represent all of the people?

What kind of a system do we have, dictatorship, communistic, socialistic, democracy or no system at all? Why do we have referendums? If a budget is defeated by referendum we go to a small town type voting by voice. Result is whatever group attends no matter how large or small will prevail. Is that representation of the town? Who governs, the people or special interest groups? If it’s special interest groups, let them pay the bills. The ones who say $50 per month is ok are the ones who probably don’t bring home the bacon or pay the bills.

The town charter needs some drastic changes whereby referendums must be addressed and followed by another referendum till the taxpayers agree to the budget. In the voting booths there should be at the very least two levers. One for the Board of Education and the other for the town. The present set up is not on a level playing field, it is rigged. The people of Newtown are treated like prey. Is it justice in Newtown or like it or leave it?

I wouldn’t mind leaving if I was replaced by two adults and three children, providing my wife and I were two of the three children.

We need change and the people in charge must listen to the people not projections, estimates, predictions, imaginations, and statistics. We need facts. More information.

Paul Fortugno

44 Philo Curtis Road, Sandy Hook                               May 18, 2000