The Old Shell Game

To the Editor:

The Newtown Bee reported last week with a headline that the Fairfield Hills budget was dwindling. It was not until the fifth paragraph that the reason was stated: that the expenses were transferred to other town departments.

It would be helpful to know the full story, what the combined expenses are so we can really determine if costs are down or up. No mention was made of the dollars used from the capital budget, nor the special appropriation of almost $500,000 spent to demo one building for a total cost of almost $1.2 million dollars. So what is the true cost yearly to the taxpayers of Newtown? Perhaps The Bee could help calculate the cost of interest and principal paid yearly on bonding for FFH, add to that the costs transferred to other departments, the cost of public works projects, and the cost to promote the property through the Economic Development director. Then the readers can really understand what FFH is costing with all the facts, not just one small piece of the expenses puzzle. Right now it still feels like the old shell game.

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown                                  November 30, 2011