Date: Fri 25-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Budget-referendum

Full Text:

Small Turnout Passes Town Budget

PAGE ONE

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

A small number of Newtown voters showed up at a referendum Tuesday to approve

the town's largest municipal/school budget in history.

The $52.6 million spending plan passed by more than 300 votes.

Of the 1,748 voters who showed up (14 percent of all registered voters), 1,026

of them voted in favor of the budget. The 722 taxpayers who voted against the

budget did so without any real organized opposition movement.

Though it is never a sure thing until after the ballots are counted, town

officials felt confident that this budget proposal, though representing a 5.9

percent increase over the current budget, would win approval in the town vote.

The majority of those attending town meetings in early April were lobbying

against a $200,000 cut made to the Board of Education's request. Few if any

complained about the budget being too high.

"The numbers indicate to me that people are generally quite satisfied with the

budget," said Legislative Council Chairman Pierre Rochman. "There was a low

turnout so I take that to mean they weren't up in arms."

First Selectman Bob Cascella credited the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) for

getting residents out in support of the budget. He also paid tribute to those

who worked to put together a proposal that he considered reasonable.

"We haven't raised taxes phenomenally. We have, on the other hand, increased

services and we're not killing anyone with large tax increases," he said.

As for the 722 people who voted against the budget, Mr Cascella said they used

to come out in much higher numbers, between 1,000 and 1,500.

"That number has been shrinking," he said.

Still, nearly 40 percent of those who did show up voted against the budget.

"They're always asking for more and more and more," said one resident. "The

cost of living only goes up about three percent, and they're asking for a 5.9

percent increase. Who votes for these things?"

Those who voted against the budget can take solace in knowing that the tax

rate increase may not be as high as first reported, according to Finance

Director Ben Spragg. What had been projected as an increase of 1.2 mills may

now be lowered to about 1 mill, leaving the overall rate at 26 mills. The

state legislature's appropriations committee earlier this month voted to give

the town an additional $250,000 in state grants.

As it now stands, a home assessed at $200,000 will be taxed an extra $200 or

about 50 cents a day on the next local tax bill.

The rise in cost to the town could have been much higher in light of a

smaller-than-expected revenue pool the town will be able to pull from this

year. However, last month the Legislative Council voted to transfer $1 million

from the town's capital and non-recurring expenditures fund to pay for certain

items in the budget. The move managed to drop the tax rate increase from more

than two mills to its current level.

Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed said he was grateful to the town for

taking the challenge of having a strong school system and not running away

from it. He also thanked the school supporters for getting the word out to

residents to vote.

"To have people get in their cars to vote to have their taxes raised is

difficult," he said. "It's easier to vote `no' because then you're getting

something out of it."