Officials Clarify ‘Misinformation’—

Parent Turnout Doubled In

Second Failed Budget Vote

By John Voket

A statistical analysis of the vote following the second failed budget referendum shows that only about 1,000 more voters turned out in total. But that increase doubled the number of parents of school-age children who voted on the budget package. The trend information from the second referendum was released earlier this week by representatives of a local grassroots political action committee Citizens For Newtown (CFN) who also represent the townwide PTA Council.

The PTA Council used numerous tactics to help promote the two recent budget votes, not advocating for its passage, but to simply encourage more qualified taxpayers to get involved in the budget process by turning out at the polls. That message seemed to have a greater impact after the first vote went down, especially in households where there are school-age children.

In a cover letter accompanying the analysis, PTA Council President Sarah Beier and Mary Ann Jacob, who chairs the PTA Council’s budget subcommittee, called for representatives of the school board and administration, as well as the first selectman, to highlight some of the most important things taxpayers need to know about the budget.

The letter states that during “informal surveys” members of the two local groups “have consistently found there to be a lot of misunderstanding and just plain old wrong information out there floating around.”

According to the informal surveys, Ms Beier wrote that, “…people seem concerned on four major points: 1) those battling their own real economic hardships 2) those battling the idea of tax increases in an economy that is already inflicting uncontrollable cost increases 3) those nervous about unknown future expenses for high school space along with concerns about BOE leadership and lack of long-term planning and 4) those unhappy with what the town is or is not doing for FFH, recreation, long-term planning, population growth and economic development.”

Municipal Budget         Concerns

Earlier this week, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal and Town Finance Director Benjamin Spragg discussed what they thought were some of the concerns coming from, or issues misunderstood by, taxpayers.

Mr Rosenthal said that one of the common themes he is hearing in local meetings and in letters to The Newtown Bee involves the town’s position on economic development initiatives. He defended the local Economic Development Commission and town officials who are working to attract more commercial taxpayers.

“We are working aggressively on economic development,” Mr Rosenthal said, pointing to various projects including new commercial buildings on Berkshire Road, a commercial park adjacent to the Curtis Packaging headquarters off Toddy Hill Road, several new retail centers in the borough and along South Main Street, and other projects that are developing on Church Hill Road and in Hawleyville.

He also took to task residents who call for economic development at Fairfield Hills at tax time, “and then turn around telling people that economic development at that location is a bad thing.”

Mr Rosenthal illustrated how residents might be misinformed when it comes to the idea that even large scale commercial development will bring real tax relief.

“In order to generate one mill of tax relief, we have to develop $100 million in assessed taxes. Sand Hill Plaza on South Main Street is assessed at $12 million, so we would need about ten brand new Sand Hill Plaza-sized developments in town to offset one mill,” he said.

Noting that the assessed value only represents about 70 percent of its market value, Mr Rosenthal further illustrated that one new Sand Hill Plaza-sized development would generate enough tax income in one year to offset the $300,000 increase in utility and fuel costs the Board of Education is calling for in the 2006-2007 budget.

“That’s building one new Sand Hill Plaza to cover just the estimated energy increase for one budget cycle for just the Board of Ed, not even including the rest of the town buildings and vehicles,” Mr Rosenthal said. “Even aggressive development on all the rest of the town’s available commercial land would moderate tax increases; it would never prevent them.”

Turning his focus to Fairfield Hills, Mr Rosenthal noted that a significant amount of the money already spent was to first assess the amount of environmental liability the town would face if it bought the former state hospital complex, and then to perform the mandated level of cleanup once the town supported acquiring the facility.

“Other projects at Fairfield Hills are still in the planning stages,” he said. “We will build a town hall there, but we’re still in the process of determining the feasibility of [using existing structures] which will eventually house both town and school offices.”

School District Issues

In a series of memos and an interview, School Superintendent Evan Pitkoff indicated that the current school budget proposal reflects the lowest increase in eight years. And he said nearly five percent of the current 6.06 percent proposal incorporates fixed costs like benefits and salaries.

“Newtown is similar to most towns in the area where up to 80 percent of the school’s budget is personnel-related,” he said.

Dr Pitkoff said that while he has not specifically heard any “misconceptions” about the school budget, he has been approached by residents who say “they appreciate the quality of the schools, but their taxes are just too high.”

He also pointed out that the Board of Education and the administration look for as many efficiencies as possible, and that any surpluses that the school system realizes at the end of each fiscal year are turned back to the town. The superintendent said that while next year might bring some additional unexpected revenues to the school system, there were “no additional revenue streams forthcoming for the rest of this fiscal year.”

Reflecting on the recent independent procedures and controls report ordered by the school board, Dr Pitkoff noted that many of the suggested measures to improve efficiencies, that were determined to be cost effective, have already been implemented.

“We will be developing a fraud tip hotline, which will be low or no cost. And we are looking at developing a [comprehensive] procedures and practices manual for the business office,” he said. “But we probably won’t be adding any personnel to do double checking [of accounting and payment processing procedures.]”

The superintendent said the school system is still prioritizing maintenance and repair projects, noting that, “…the middle school is probably going to be presenting the greatest number of long-term concerns.”

He also addressed critics who are concerned about the amount of money spent on continuing education, conferences, and seminars for department personnel, saying that in many cases just a few representatives are sent to get information that they then disseminate to the rest of the appropriate district staff.

“We have goals for the district and provide opportunities to enhance our teachers’ skills that are aligned to the school system’s goals,” Dr Pitkoff said. “Ultimately, it improves all the schools by providing better trained instructors.”

The first selectman said that regardless of the final approved budget number for the upcoming fiscal year, residents should be assured that both the town and the school system will do the best job they can with the budget that is approved.

“We work for the voters,” Mr Rosenthal said. “And we will continue to operate as efficiently as we can — life will go on.”