To The Editor:

There’s a debate happening about whether blocking housing saves or costs money. I’ve heard a former elected official arguing that growth always costs more than it generates — more teachers, more services, more infrastructure. Some have even cited academic studies. It’s a sophisticated and clever argument. It’s also wrong.

We just installed a new $4.3 million roof in our high school. Multiple HVAC system upgrades in recent years. Expensive? Yes. Necessary? Sure. But here’s the real question. What costs more: heating and maintaining buildings not being used to their fullest, or filling those classrooms with kids whose families would help pay the bill? Remember, school enrollment is down by almost one third since its peak. Now, we could be talking about spreading the cost of what we already built across more taxpayers instead of fewer. Instead, we’re keeping the people away who would help pay for them.

Newtown blocked 494 housing units in the last 2 years. Those units would have generated $4.27 million a year. Your tax bill went up 5.1%.

Huh.

Samuel S. Grummons

Newtown