Date: Fri 28-Mar-1997

By STEVE BIGHAM

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

town-meeting-budget-capital

Full Text:

Town Meeting Asked To Spend $1 Million From Capital Fund

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

A town meeting will be held Wednesday, April 2 to vote on a resolution to

transfer $1 million from the town's capital and non-recurring expenditures

fund to fund certain items in the budget. The meeting will be held in the

middle school library.

Due to a $3.3 million revenue shortfall this year, the Legislative Council

recently voted to use money from the capital non-recurring account in an

effort to hold the tax rate increase to just 1.2 mills.

The following is a list of items the town is seeking to fund through the

account:

New computer system for the finance department, $95,000.

Cyrenius Booth Library equipment, $5,000.

Police patrol cars, $82,616.

Police mobile radios, overhead light bars, $3,000.

Fire department capital items, $115,000.

Canine control truck cap, $775.

Land Use map-making machine and two chairs, $2,825.

Highway truck replacements, $166,000. (Highway road work, $501,284; Hanover

Road drainage and paving, $400,000; Dinglebrook Road paving, $101,284.

Parks & Recreation park renovations, $10,500.

Car pool, $18,000.

On What Budget Numbers To Send To Referendum

Who You Endorse Speaks Volumes About You

Democrats: Experience — And History — Matter

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

Newtown Is Embree Ku's Home

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.

The ‘Me’ Generation

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 :)

Shame on NAFC. Unless you have not read about the controversy surrounding why I left Michelle Ku’s campaign, I cannot understand why you would endorse a candidate that uses homophobic and stereotypical tactics to run a campaign. Ask her to share the texts sent to her committee involving “diva” and Spanish tshirts because “Brazilians” are moving into Newtown. As if Latinos are all Brazilian and don’t understand English. Shame on you.

Endorses Embree Ku

Nothing says “community spirit” quite like declaring moral bankruptcy because voters didn’t fund your preferred project. Apparently, approving basic infrastructure that everyone uses—like functional sidewalks and parking for a facility that all community members use and salt that keeps those touchpoints functional in winter—is now evidence of generational selfishness. The real irony isn’t in what passed or failed; it’s in accusing others of self-interest while insisting they should have voted for something you happen to value. That’s not “us”—that’s just a different version of “me.” Voters weighed priorities and made a choice. Calling that “shameful” doesn’t elevate the argument—it just reveals how little tolerance there is for democratic outcomes that don’t go your way. If the takeaway is that more people should show up and vote, fair enough. But let’s not pretend disagreement is a character flaw. Sometimes the electorate simply decides that not every nice-to-have is a must-have.

I understand your basic point, but not the numbers. Can you help us understand where your numbers come from? Thanks!

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Date: Fri 28-Mar-1997

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