Position Clarified

To the Editor:

Thank you to The Bee for publicizing the formation of We Care About Newtown (WECAN). However, I am disappointed that the news article written by Susan Coney and John Voket did not focus more on the actual information provided by WECAN, but instead on the assertions of town officials who were quick to mischaracterize the intent of our new organization.

It is these inaccurate statements I wish to clarify.

1. The minutes from the Board of Finance meetings will demonstrate that I have attended these sessions and I have always been open to a meeting with Mr Kortze. I also called Ben Spragg to discuss the tax implications of building a new high school, and I had summarized our conversation with an email to our boards. I asked for written clarification if my interpretation of Mr Spragg’s information was inaccurate and I did not receive any corrections from any town official. To date, I have received no response to my requests for information on the real “net” costs of the high school space options.

2. Mr Rodgers misunderstood my comment at the Board of Education Public Forum regarding the cost savings of reprioritizing other town projects to assist in funding a new high school — $25 million middle school renovation cost and $15 million of funds not yet bonded for Fairfield Hills equals $40 million (which was a simplistic calculation knowing that there are other important factors) could be applied to the cost of building a new high school and that there were other creative ways to long-term plan to reduce the tax burden. I also mentioned that we will be receiving about 33 percent reimbursement from the state for the new high school, approximately $50 million.

3. Mr Rosenthal is correct that state reimbursements were declining until recently. I have always counted on a 33 percent reimbursement from the state, and Mr Rosenthal, in the article, confirms that I am accurate in this assertion, even thought he states that I am not. He inaccurately states that WECAN has made this assertion, which it has not.

4. I did not resign from the PTA Council to create my own special interest group. I had no intention of being part of a new group until just before the February school break when I was approached by some concerned residents to help form one. I resigned my officer’s position with the PTA Council because I could not speak openly about my personal opinions if I continued to hold that position. I still consider myself a member of the PTA Council, but also recognize the need for a more active organization such as WECAN will be.

Despite these inaccuracies, I thank The Bee for getting some of the answers from town officials that I could not get through my own outreach efforts as a private citizen. As for WECAN, our group advocates a long-term, educationally sound decision to the town’s future educational space needs, and better, more transparent communication between our town boards, and between our government and the public.

Po Murray

38 Charter Ridge Drive, Sandy Hook                         March 2, 2006