Date: Fri 26-Dec-1997

By STEVE BIGHAM

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Rosenthal-tax-rate-finances

Full Text:

Rosenthal Begs Off Predicting A New Tax Rate

BY STEVE BIGHAM

In October, then-first selectman candidate Herb Rosenthal was asked by Pierre

Rochman what he thought would be a reasonable increase in the town's mill

rate.

The council's chairman was hoping to get a read on what Mr Rosenthal had in

mind for this coming budget season. The candidate declined to give a specific

figure, and he continues to do so today. Setting an early mill rate target is

simply unrealistic, Mr Rosenthal explained.

"It's hard to tell," the first selectman said. "If you start with a bottom

line, you may be setting yourself up to fail."

If he had to set a preliminary mill rate increase, Mr Rosenthal said he would

start at zero. "That's where I would start and then I would have to justify

whatever is over that," he said.

The first selectman disagrees with the Legislative Council's plan to set a

preliminary mill rate increase this year before the budget process begins. He

believes that before any talk of a tax increase or decrease takes place, the

town needs to take a close look at each department's needs, figure out a grand

list and then determine what kind of revenue the town will receive from the

state. Setting arbitrary figures makes it difficult to justify expenditures,

he said.

The council's finance committee, however, does not believe that setting a

budget goal has to be the "be all to end all."

"We're trying to see where we are and determine what's a reasonable

expectation," said John Kortze, the council's finance committee chairman.

Mr Kortze believes setting a preliminary mill rate figure is simply another

"piece in the puzzle" during the budgetary process, to be used in conjunction

with the town's overall surplus, debt service, and capital non-recurring

numbers.

"It gives us a general overall starting point and overall game plan," he said.

"I think that's how finance committees should act. We need to be more

pro-active than re-active."

Because of the growth of the grand list and other factors, a budget increase

does not necessarily mean a tax rate increase.

Last year's tax rate increase was about one mill.

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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 26-Dec-1997

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