Cut This Ridiculous Budget

To the Editor:

To the more sensible citizens of Newtown:

Am I the only person in the Town of Newtown to believe that what the Selectmen and Board of Education propose and 8 out of 12 Legislative Council members voted in favor of as a possible 2000-2001 budget to be outrageously ridiculous? I doubt it! Speak up those of you who are sick and tired of liberal politicians throwing our hard-earned money away!

Regardless of the population growth that has been occurring in Newtown, the proposed budgets are simply growing too fast. A surge of 11 percent from last year is baffling. How many families in Newtown received an 11 percent increase in their household incomes last year? I imagine not very many. And this is possibly only the first of three years of 11 percent compounded budget increases. You are correct Mrs Pilchard, it is a 37 percent hike over those three years. I am certain my income won’t be increased by 37 percent over the next three years. If a family is supposed to live within their means, why can’t the Town of Newtown?

It was written in the March 24, 2000, Newtown Bee Editorial Ink Drops that, “This year’s budget plan may not be pretty, but it’s the best we can do.” Baloney! Is that really the “best we can do,” or is it really the best the elitist politicians, Board of Education members, and special interest groups of this town are willing to do? I imagine it’s more likely the latter. What ever happened to financial restraint, fiscal responsibility, and the conservative way? It seems to me that the Legislative Council members that voted in favor of the proposed budget don’t have the stomach or will to take the hatchet to this bloated piece of legislation. Instead they cave in to the money hungry, whining special interest groups.

I agree with Council Chairman Pierre Rochman. That the Legislative Council would propose such a massive increase in the budget is unconscionable. I thank Mr Rochman, Melissa Pilchard, Peggy Baiad, and Doug Brennan for their disapproving vote and vocal opposition to the Legislative Council’s decision to approve this ridiculous budget, and trying to avoid being swayed by the money hungry special interest groups.

The Selectmen and Board of Education should be ashamed of themselves for even suggesting such a budget increase. Better yet, the next time around the Selectmen, Board of Education, and the Legislative Council members who have the audacity to approve of such a budget should be voted out and replaced with more fiscally conservative and sensible men and women who desire to run a town efficiently and do not want to waste the taxpayers’ money with bloated budgets.

It’s not too late to cut this ridiculous budget. And it’s not too late for the citizens of Newtown who are against this budget proposal to have their voice heard. Speak up and be heard!

Sincerely,

Christopher Karpenko

20A Taunton Lane, Newtown                                      March 26, 2000