Date: Fri 10-Apr-1998

By STEVE BIGHAM

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

VITA-tax-assistance-Wilkinson

Full Text:

Newtown's "Tax Man" Wraps Up Another Year

(with cut)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

For the past ten weeks, Newtown resident Ken Wilkinson has spent every Tuesday

afternoon in the library helping out those in need of tax assistance.

He is not an accountant and he does not get paid a penny. He is just a retired

volunteer trying to help people who are having a difficult time doing their

taxes. He is indeed, the "Tax Man."

Tuesday was his last day, so if you are still in need of help before the April

15 tax filing deadline, you will have to rely on those mind-boggling

instructions provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

For Mr Wilkinson, providing a bit of tax assistance to the people of Newtown

is just his way of giving back to the community. The Birch Rise Drive resident

claims he has nothing better to do, but his wife, Heloise, says her husband

simply wants to lend folks a hand. And, believe it or not, he actually likes

filling out tax forms.

Mr Wilkinson is now in his 12th year of providing tax assistance as a

volunteer through the Internal Revenue Services' Volunteer Income Tax

Assistance (VITA) program. This year, he reports helping out a total of 51

people. Of them, only about half actually wanted the "Tax Man" to fill out the

tax forms.

According to the 14-year Newtown resident, the IRS seeks out volunteers to

take a course in "simple" income taxes. The federal tax collection agency then

sends these quasi-accountants out to help those struggling with their 1040s,

W-2s and the like. There is also a program for people over 60 at the senior

center on Riverside Road.

During the more than 50 hours of free service to Newtown's taxpayers, Mr

Wilkinson occasionally sat around waiting for someone to come in, but there

was often a line of residents waiting for his help.

"Twice I started at 1 pm and didn't get up from my chair until 5," he

recalled. "Those were busy days."

Mr Wilkinson is retired from Lear-Seigler Company, where he served in the

field of aerospace marketing.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 10-Apr-1998

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