To the Editor:

I want a first selectman who can get something done for Newtown.

In the days before Jeff Capeci, the Town and the Board of Education proposed their budgets and the Legislative Council submitted one, combined budget to the voters for approval. For weeks prior, members of the public appeared before the boards advocating for or against budget proposals. However, even in years where it appeared there was heavier participation by the public, the total amount of people heard from represented a small percentage of the overall vote. When a budget was rejected, there was little indicia of whether the Town or BOE proposals were the cause and whether either failed because it was too high or too low. The process of divining the answer to these questions was expensive and sometimes necessitated a number of ballots before a budget was approved.

Enter Jeff Capeci.

Separate the Town and Board of Education budget votes.

Add a ballot question indicating whether the budget was too high or low.

A simple elegant solution that has avoided costly budget referendums since Jeff Capeci introduced this change to Newtown’s Charter in the 1st of his two tours as chairman of the Charter Revision Commission.

Recognize a problem. Take action. Solve the problem with an inventive development of our Charter and build a bipartisan coalition to support the change.

Join me in voting for a person who has proven that he can get something done for Newtown.

That person is Jeff Capeci for first selectman.

Andrew Buzzi Jr

Newtown