‘The Bee’ Avoids The Issues

To the Editor:

Where is it written in editorial manuals on running a local newspaper that the story is only about the good or bad personal side of the candidates?

Since The Bee is a local community publication with a very stable circulation and an active readership, it does not require “sensational” headlines to sell papers. What your readers expect from The Bee is to be informed about the issues that are important to Newtown’s residents. Especially when it comes to electing our first selectman.

While Pizza and Politics is intended to let the voters question all candidates for town offices, there are so many of them on the ballot, that constraint of time limits what can be asked and answered. We need a more open and effective forum for the voters to specifically analyze the two people who want to be the chief executive of Newtown.

I am frankly fed up with The Bee’s avoidance of addressing the positions both candidates for first selectman should be espousing on every issue that is important to Newtown residents. If The Bee, as Newtown’s only dedicated newspaper, wants our voters to make an intelligent choice in the November 4 election, then give us the facts on where these two people stand and their different perspectives.

My suggestion is that The Bee polls the voters to select the topics that they want addressed and present them to both candidates. Whether you get them from phone calls, letters, Town Talk, or messenger pigeon, list them all (less duplicates) and the answers from the candidates. Let the people speak and the candidates answer.

Print these positions in The Bee before the election so that we all can see where each candidate stands on topics that directly affect our future. Just to make sure that the candidates have important topic to discuss, I have listed a few of my own recommendations to get the ball rolling.

The State of Connecticut and most municipalities have dramatically cut back on departmental expenditures due to the current and projected deficit. This has resulted in significant layoffs of personnel. Q. As the person in charge of keeping Newtown town government running efficiently, what changes will you make to keep essential services at acceptable levels while staying within a shrinking budget?

The Newtown residential property tax rate has increased for homeowners at close to double-digit rates over the last ten years. During the same time period, the Newtown business community’s share of tax revenue has shrunk from 30 percent to 10 percent while most of our neighboring towns have experienced no loss or positive growth. Q. What will you do as first selectman to reverse this trend and lower the mill rate for homeowners?

Fairfield Hills is important to Newtown but it has been sitting there for 80 plus years and money is tight right now. Q. What specific action would you propose to lessen the immediate tax impact on homeowner? Would you delay the purchase of FFH or buy it now and develop it later?

Newtown has a history of getting involved in major capital projects that seem to always run substantially over budget. It seemed that the attitude from our administrators was, it didn’t matter since the taxpayers would get stuck with the higher tax bill. Q. What remedy do you propose to solve this problem so that there is accountability for these overruns?

I’m sure there are other residents in town who could add equally provocative questions to this list. The Bee can do a wonderful community service by publishing the results both in the paper and on The Bee website. There is no doubt that both Bill Schluck and Herb Rosenthal will welcome the opportunity to enlighten their constituents. I am personally looking forward to their answers.

Barry Piesner

34 Alpine Drive, Sandy Hook                               September 6, 2003