Respect The Voters,

Let Them Vote

To the Editor:

Newtown residents voted overwhelmingly for the high school expansion project. They understood the project, its need, and the idea of doing it right. Doing it right for our children and doing it right for our future space needs.

Inflation and escalating costs of materials has resulted in bids being $4 million higher, after state reimbursement, than the amount first asked of the voters. Many options have been studied by the Board of Education and the town building committee and the recommendation is that the need remains and the solution is the expansion.

I hope that the Legislative Council and the Board of Selectman will respect the voters and allow them to quickly vote at referendum on the extra funds needed to complete this project. Using bid overages to redebate an issue already well vetted and already decided on by the votes is an abuse of process. The issue is no longer about the expansion being right, but simply will the voters approve the additional dollars to ensure our children have an facility which enables them to learn or do we go back to square one.

Let’s move this to referendum quickly and let the voters decide.

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                September 10, 2008