Date: Fri 23-Jan-1998

By DOROTHY EVANS

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

snapshot-Joe-Letizia

Full Text:

SNAPSHOT: JOE LETIZIA

Occupation: I am a School Crossing Guard working mornings and afternoons at

Newtown High School, Hawley School and the Middle School. On weekends I work

outside of St Rose School.

Mainly, I try to see that the buses get in and out safely, and I keep the

regular traffic moving along. This is my second year in this job, and I enjoy

it very much.

Before this, I had been a draftsman for 40 years in Stamford, Norwalk and

Danbury, working from engineers' sketches and generating drawings for

customers. Then, with the advent of computers, I had no background in

computers and suddenly found myself on the outside looking in. Since I was

near retirement age, I decided to look for other work. For a while I drove for

a florist, then worked in a car rental agency.

Then I saw the ad for the Newtown Schools' Crossing Guard job and felt I could

do it. I like to be outside, and I am in reasonably good health. As long as I

can continue to do this, I have no desire to retire. I'm not ready to go out

to pasture quite yet.

How long in area: I have lived in Bethel for 35 years. I was born in Brooklyn,

New York.

Family: I've been married 39 years to the same woman, my wife Angelina. We

have four children -- two sons and two daughters. They're all married, and we

have three grandchildren.

Hobbies: I used to bowl a lot, I was a Little League coach in Bethel for 20

years, and I love fishing. My oldest grandson, Jeffrey, and I went out fishing

together last summer. He's 5 years old. Sometimes we brought home fish,

sometimes we didn't. But we always had a great time.

Biggest change in Newtown: I can tell you the traffic sure has increased,

especially between 7-7:30 am.

Personal Philosophy: I accept things for what they are. You've got to have a

sense of humor in my job. Some people behind the wheel just aren't paying

attention to what they're doing. I look in their faces and they're in another

zone. But as long as nobody gets hurt, I guess it's OK. I take life as it

comes, one day at a time.

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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 23-Jan-1998

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