Town Poised To Vote On $69 Million Budget

By Steve Bigham

Newtown voters will head to the polls next Tuesday to vote on a proposed $69 million budget package for the 2000-2001 fiscal year. The referendum will be held from 6 am to 8 pm in the Newtown Middle School gymnasium on Queen Street.

The proposed budget represents a 2.9 mill increase in the tax rate, or 10.3 percent over the current budget. It will increase the tax rate from 27.9 mills to 30.8 mills.

 Fifty-eight percent of the overall budget will go to education, 30.3 percent will fund the selectmen’s portion of the budget, with debt service making up the remaining 11.7 percent.

 Taxpayers will be called on to pay for 75.1 percent of the budget. The rest will come from state revenue (13.8 percent), local fees (7.5 percent), and other surplus (3.6 percent).

  The budget is considered to be one of the largest one-year increases in town history. It addresses several town needs, most of which have been brought on by the town’s continued growth and development.

  Last month, the Legislative Council, the town’s finance board approved the budget, 8-4. Among those who voted against the proposal was council chairman Pierre Rochman, who has been an outspoken opponent of the plan. In his opinion, the council was out of line in sending a budget with a tax rate increase of 2.9 mills to the public.

“As chairman and member of the Legislative Council, I suppose by the rules of politics, I’m supposed to go along with the majority and recommend passage of the budget. However, my conscience won’t let me do it,” he said Wednesday. “I think the budget is a mistake. Despite the majority vote by the council, I do think it needs to be defeated.”

Mr Rochman said some council members who voted in favor of the plan did so with little enthusiasm. Among them was council member Donald Studley, who admitted earlier this month that the council did a “terrible” job on the budget. Melissa Pilchard, Peggy Baiad, and Doug Brennan also voted against the plan.

And unlike past public hearings, where most of those in support of the schools show up, last month’s hearing featured several members of the so-called “silent majority,” who said a 10.3 percent increase in the budget is unacceptable.

Nevertheless, there have been many others who continue to speak out in favor of the budget. They include the Board of Education, school supporters, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal, the Parks & Recreation Commission, and various sports groups. Many of them were on hand for Wednesday’s press conference at the library put on by Mr Rosenthal prior to the Legislative Council meeting. The first selectman called the brief press conference in an effort to create positive publicity about the budget. It was a show of unity by those who believe this is a budget that addresses the important needs of the community.

“None of us started the process anticipating a 2.9 mill increase in taxes. However, faced with the growing demand for services brought about by the ever increasing residential development, particularly a projected six percent increase in school enrollment, and potential large capital projects, that was the result,” Mr Rosenthal said.

The Board of Selectmen cut $2.27 million out of its proposed budget prior to sending it on to the council, while the school board trimmed just over $1 million, Mr Rosenthal noted.

Also discussed during the press conference was the large amount of debt service in the budget to pay for several large expenditures that may be presented to the voters during the coming fiscal year. Among them are the 5/6 school, purchase of Fairfield Hills, construction of additional playing fields, and renovations to municipal office space.

“If these projects are ultimately approved, the funds to make debt service will be available,” noted Mr Rosenthal, who pointed out that $750,000 was included in the budget to pay for security and maintenance costs at Fairfield Hills if the town opts to buy the property.

 The first selectman also pointed out that the increase in debt service, security and maintenance at Fairfield Hills, construction of fields at the Amaral property, and school capital improvements account for 2.2 mills of the 2.9 mill increase. Without them, he said, we would be looking at less than a mill increase.

Parks & Recreation Commission Chairman Larry Haskel asked one simple question: “If we don’t make an investment in Newtown, who will?”

School supporter Joe Hemingway called it a budget that is “good for Newtown.” He and other parents are elated that the school board got almost all of what it requested. But that money will not become a reality unless the voters pass the budget.

“Education [in Newtown] is like a rubber band. It’s been stretched and stretched,” noted Board of Education Chairman Elaine McClure, implying that it just might snap without the town’s support.

The Board of Education budget represents $39 million of the total budget and is up 15 percent over the current budget. It includes an additional $500,000 which the council voted to add at the 11th hour. The move angered Mr Rochman, who felt the council had been swayed by the special interest groups who dominate the budget meetings, sometimes altering a council member’s original intent.

During last month’s public hearing, numerous residents pointed out that this was not a normal year due to increased demands for new schools, new fields, and other services. The problem with that, however, notes council member Melissa Pilchard, is that the next two years will not be normal either. Town officials have proposed a $45 million borrowing plan over three years that will lead to budget increases each year. Some are predicting a 37 percent increase in the overall budget during the next three years.

At last month’s public hearing, several residents spoke out regarding the need to offset these rising costs with other forms of revenue, such as commercial development.