Occupation: I have been the owner of The Fashion Exchange, a ladies' clothing consignment and gift shop on South Main Street in Newtown, for 16 years. I was born, raised and educated in England, and came to the United States in 1964. I am a residen

By JAN HOWARD

Published: Apr 25, 2000 12:00 am

Occupation: I have been the owner of The Fashion Exchange, a ladiesâ clothing consignment and gift shop on South Main Street in Newtown, for 16 years. I was born, raised and educated in England, and came to the United States in 1964. I am a resident of Danbury. I have always been in retail. I worked in Canada for a year in a boutique, then trained as a buyer for Readâs jewelry department. In 1984 I decided to open this consignment business. Itâs been wonderful.

Biggest Change Seen in Town: The building, and the amount of people who have come to Newtown.

Family: My husband, Gary, and I have been married for 32 years. We have two daughters, Jodi, 28, who is an account executive with Fox Cable in New York City, and Melissa, 26, who is a banquet facility manager at the Newport Harbor Hotel.

Pets: We have two dogs, Cartier and Tiffany.

Hobbies: Gardening and traveling. I love my job so Iâve incorporated my love of clothing into my work.

Favorite Books and Authors: I donât read a lot because Iâm so busy.

Favorite TV Show: I donât watch TV very often, but I like antiques so I enjoy watching The Antiques Road Show.

Organizations: I am a member of the Business and Professional Womenâs Club in Newtown.

Most Vivid Memory of Newtown: Being that my main thing here is my business, just starting my business here was exciting. I started out in The Chase Building, and then moved to my present location. I own the building Iâm in now. Itâs one of Newtownâs oldest buildings, built in 1755. Itâs nice to own something thatâs historic in Newtown.

Favorite Vacation Spot: We love Europe, and have been to several places, such as Venice. We have family members living in France and Germany, so we have vacationed more in Europe. Iâm hoping to see more of the United States.

Personal Philosophy: I live life to the fullest. I live each day fully and enjoy it. I donât want to wait until retirement to do things. I just enjoy doing what Iâm doing. Iâm lucky in that in my job Iâm working with things I love as well as meeting people and socializing. It makes every day enjoyable.

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The voters certainly spoke — and I respect the outcome — but let’s not forget that a “majority” doesn’t mean everyone agreed. Many of us are deeply concerned about the rising cost of living here. Supporting schools and services is important, but so is ensuring that residents can afford to stay in the town they love. We all want Newtown to be a great place to live, but lately, it’s starting to feel less like “Nicer in Newtown” and more like “More Expensive in Newtown.” That’s not sustainable, and it’s not a criticism of the town itself — it’s a call for responsible budgeting and long-term planning that doesn’t rely on tax increases year after year. I hope future decisions will reflect not just the desire to maintain services, but also the need to ease the financial burden on residents.

Budget, Capital Projects Pass: Officials Respond

I appreciate the passion behind this message, and I absolutely understand the desire to invest in our town. That said, I voted no — not because I don't care about Newtown, but because I do. Fiscal responsibility is not about ignoring problems, it’s about making sure we address them in a sustainable and transparent way. It’s frustrating to feel like every year there’s a new “urgent” reason to raise taxes, with little serious effort to curb spending or prioritize needs. I worry this just sets the stage for another round of increases next year. That doesn't mean I’m against education, safety, or our town’s future — it means I believe in accountability and in asking tough questions about how our money is managed. Voting no wasn't a rejection of Newtown — it was a call for more thoughtful, balanced leadership. I hope future conversations can include all perspectives, not just those willing to write a bigger check.

The Voters Chose Newtown

The voters spoke, loud and clear that they support our schools and municipal services. The majority vote was a mandate to keep delivering well rated education services and keep it" Nicer in Newtown."

Great effort by the those who attended to shine a light on the attacks on Democracy. Thanks for the article so all can understand whats happening.

Hundreds Attend ‘Rock This Democracy’ Rally

Thank you LeReine, for speaking out about this. The list of public servants who are unfairly targeted for abuse just for doing their jobs has been growing. It is a testament to the power of propaganda that otherwise good and well-meaning people can get so emotional as to act out in this way.

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Occupation: I have been the owner of The Fashion Exchange, a ladies' clothing consignment and gift shop on South Main Street in Newtown, for 16 years. I was born, raised and educated in England, and came to the United States in 1964. I am a residen

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