Date: Fri 15-Dec-1995

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

sewers-assessement-WPCA

Full Text:

WPCA Considers Increase In Proposed Sewer Rate

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) members were slated to discuss

increasing the sewer assessment for residential properties by three percent

from $9,600 to $9,900 at a WPCA meeting on December 14 in Town Hall South.

The session was scheduled to start after the deadline for this edition of The

Bee.

The sewer assessment is the amount of money that residential property owners

will pay the town across a 20-year period to cover the construction costs of

the town's $30.4-million sanitary sewer system now being built. Property

owners will be able to get federally subsidized loans at a two percent annual

interest rate to pay off their sewer assessments.

WPCA members already have set the residential sewer assessment at $9,600 for

houses in the sewer district with up to four bedrooms. Under the $9,600

scheme, the owner of a five-bedroom house would be charged $12,000, and the

owner of a six-bedroom house would be charged $14,400.

But WPCA Chairman Peter Alagna told WPCA member Richard Zang that members of

the Legislative Council's finance committee at a recent meeting endorsed a

flat $9,900 sewer assessment for residential properties, provided that higher

charges not be levied against houses with more than four bedrooms. The finance

group is recommending the $9,900 figure to the full Legislative Council.

Mr Alagna and Mr Zang discussed the sewer assessment topic at a December 6

meeting of the WPCA's sewer assessment subcommittee.

Getting the finance subcommittee members to hold the residential sewer

assessment down to $9,900 was "a big achievement," according to Mr Alagna.

The WPCA chairman said the final residential sewer assement should not be any

higher than $9,900.

It would be "unrealistic" to have a residential sewer assessment any higher

than $9,900, Mr Zang added.

Mr Zang suggested that existing multifamily housing in the sewer district be

treated like commercial property for sewer assessment purposes. Commercial

sewer assessments will be based on the results of individual property

appraisals.

After the WPCA sets its residential sewer assessment rate, its membership is

expected to attend a Legislative Council meeting to discuss the assessment

topic. Although the WPCA has the legal authority to set the sewer assessments,

Mr Alagna has stressed he considers cooperation between the WPCA and the

council an important aspect of the sewer assessment process. The Legislative

Council functions as the town's board of finance.

WPCA members have used statistical information from Lesher-Glendinning

Municipal Services to help in fashioning what members hope will be a workable

residential sewer assessment formula.

Besides the sewer assessments levied against property owners in the sewer

district, a portion of sewer system construction costs will be covered by

property taxpayers at large in town through the town's annual budgets over the

next 20 years.

The WPCA will be developing commercial and industrial sewer assessments in the

coming months. Such assessments will be based on the results of appraisals of

individual properties as well as water usage.

The sewer assessments seek to establish the level of benefit, or amount of

value, by which properties will increase due to access to sewer lines.

Nighthawk Track And Field Teams Host Meet

New Heights Vacation Bible School Returning

Next HRRA Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Event Scheduled In Newtown

Genealogy Club's Next Program To Dig Into 'Dissecting A Civil War Pension Record'

Choral Society Planning ‘Voices Of America’ Performance

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

<< May 2026 >>
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
26	27	28	29	30	1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	1	2	3	4	5	6

Log In

Date: Fri 15-Dec-1995

Leave a Reply Cancel reply