Some Perspective On The Budget

To the Editor:

Given our voting participation – 30 percent on the last budget vote, 23 percent when town officials were elected – some perspective on our budget issue seems appropriate.

 The controversy reflects two facts. One, costs are rising. Two, many of us have incomes that reflect jobs taken long ago, or are fixed. Rising costs require rising revenues, but many of us pay taxes assessed on paper gains, from incomes based on preboom expectations.

 1. I paid current prices for my home, reflecting my personal budgets and needs. We should reapportion the tax burden, shifting more onto people like me.

 Any schemes require research and deliberation. No one has any magic bullets. But I am aware of two methods in use today: a) differentially lower property tax hikes on residents without children shift tax incidence away from them; b) a town income tax with a progressive rate structure falls on higher cash incomes, and might partially supplant property taxes. As a recent buyer here, I do not feel that such schemes will diminish Newtown’s appeal.

 2. Academic excellence is very important, to all of us. One thing that will certainly diminish property values is a school system cited by accreditation authorities. Deciding the makeup of a good system requires extensive discussion. Whatever we decide, perceptions that we don’t value academics will hurt us.

 Education throughout America is suffering. If we don’t all improve our educational systems, the results will be reduced competitiveness, reduced prosperity, for all. Spending does not equal educational improvement, but you don’t solve the problem by starving it. Corporations fix themselves when money dries up because they exist for profit. But public institutions exist for public purposes. Cash strapped households understandably seek economies, but we cannot abdicate our community responsibilities. I believe Newtown wants to be part of the solution to our educational shortcomings, not another case of our failings.

 3. Even if we do everything else right, we may still need to cut some lower priority functions, rather than try to shave everything a bit. Again, no one can claim magic bullets. But, just as an example, our school bus takes an hour to get my child to school; we frequently drive her. If this subsystem of the schools does not work well, could we cut it entirely and use the funds to widen school driveways and reduce the budget? Perhaps not. But couldn’t we choose what we will do well, and sacrifice lower priority functions? Both the Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen might consider this approach.

 4. Finally, our issues are problems for all of us, to be solved by all of us. If academics is my priority, it is irresponsible and uncivil to treat the cash strapped as political adversaries. If we make our issues an arena for minor league partisanship, we all suffer. If we work together, we might even provide an example for other towns in Connecticut. Meanwhile we need a budget. Please vote.

 

George F. Paik

15 Overlook Drive, Newtown                                       May 23, 2006