It’s Not The Money,

It’s How The Money Is Distributed

To the Editor:

My issue with this year’s proposed budgets is not the amount of the total budget, but how the dollars have been distributed. Cutting the education budget so drastically, while the town still has almost $650,000 going into reserve accounts, on top of the $700,000 surplus created by re-bonding going into  the reserve this year, does not balance the needs of the taxpayers. The Legislative Council can easily return some of the million dollars cut to the education budget and still not impact nor cut municipal operating expenses.

Education has been reduced to the point that we are at the bottom of the pile in funding education. Some have said we need to pass this budget least the LC cuts more. The issue is not the size of the total budget, it is reasonable. The issue is fairly funding both the education and municipal budget, and this proposal does not accomplish that.

I am voting No until the Legislative Council moves some of the proposed reserve funding to the education budget. This can be accomplished easily and our bond rating will remain strong with the extra $700,000 being applied this year. Each year school supporters are worn out and then encouraged to pass a subpar budget and fight next year. Now is the time to fight for our children and Newtown, I am voting no too low this year, not waiting to fight another day.

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                              July 3, 2012