Look At The Budget From

A Different Perspective

To the Editor:

There have been many theories about why the budget has gone down to defeat two times and perhaps again. We all know that for many it is a hardship to have annual budget increases far in excess of inflation. On top of that, big public initiatives for a new town hall, high school expansion, development of FFH and Commerce Park, as well as a multiyear commitment to the purchase open space, are a substantial strain on budgets.

Most problematic for me is that is has never been made clear how much all of these ideas actually cost to the property owner for the current year as well as the cumulative effect these initiatives have over several years.

It doesn’t matter whether you are retiree or a young family; it is difficult to plan for the future when future property tax costs have not been identified. Adding to the problem is a lack of a significant commercial tax base expansion in the past several years which other communities seized upon to reduce tax rate increases.

All of this has happened as we have greatly expanded our borrowing. Our financial consultants and management consultants have helped us greatly expand our annual debt service by showing us how we can borrow now to get what we want. Unfortunately we now have to start paying that debt back.

It seems reasonable that we now ask our leadership to selectively cut back on these initiatives in order to reduce our debt service and bring us back to a more reasonable level of tax increases. The Legislative Council and Board of Selectmen should not be looking to the school budget for cuts just because that’s the way its always happened, taking a little from here and there. It needs to look at this just like a family would look at their budget situation, and cut those items that require large expenditures than can be delayed or cancelled.

Gary Tanennbaum

Pond Brook Road, Newtown                                             May 14, 2007