What Are You Willing To Sacrifice?

To the Editor:

When we moved into town in August 2005, our realtor assured us that an expansion on the high school was in the works. In September 2005, at a PTA meeting, I learned that there was nothing concrete planned. Over the past three years, I have watched Newtown struggle with the desperately needed expansion.

If our children of today are going to be competitive tomorrow in the fast growing global economy, we must give them every opportunity that we can.

We have already voted to fund the lion’s share of the much-needed addition. No one is pleased that the bids for the project came in above the estimated cost. However, the need for the expansion remains the same.

Newtown taxpayers will be responsible to fund ~$4.2 million of the additional $6.045 million required to fund the unanticipated bid overages for the HS expansion. We will receive approximately one third reimbursement from the state to help fund the project.

The full cost of the expansion with the increase is ~$44.8 million, of which about one-third will be covered by state reimbursement, leaving the net cost to Newtown at ~$33.5 million (per the school finance director).

The Morganti Group, the construction management company, is a “contractor at risk,” which means they will guarantee the maximum price of the project once the bid contracts are signed. This means the full cost of the expansion project will not exceed the $44.8 million (~$33.5 million net cost to town).

Bob Tait, the town’s finance director, has provided guidance on the potential tax impact of bonding ~$4.2 million ($6.045 million minus approximately one-third state reimbursement).

The Newtown finance director calculated the tax impact of borrowing ~$4.2 million for the first year of borrowing. If we do not modify the future town budgets or scale back any other expenses, at most the additional expenses will cost an average homeowner $35 per year or 10 cents a day. An average home is assessed at ~$350,000 (market value of $500,000).

The tax impact would be $20 per year or five cents a day if your home is assessed at $200,000 (market value of $285,000).

The tax impact would be $70 per year or 19 cents a day if your home is assessed at $700,000 (market value of $1 million).

Each one of us must make a decision on whether or not we are willing to absorb this additional tax to continue to support this very necessary expansion project. For me, the risk is too great to insist on a rebid to see if we can drop our tax increase by a penny or two a day and continue to watch our children attempt to learn in an overcrowded and outmoded facility. I will sacrifice “one dinner out” to benefit the entire community.

Please vote Yes on October 7 at the Middle School from 6 am to 8 pm.

Donna Monteleone Randle

4 Erin Lane, Sandy Hook                                              October 1, 2008