News

Many Firms Interested In Constructing Hawleyville Sewer

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: January 25, 2016 12:00 am

There is broad interest among contactors in constructing the town’s Hawleyville sanitary sewer system expansion project, based on their attendance at a town conference on the project. Fred Hurley, tow...

Library Hosting Focus Groups

By Shannon Hicks

Published: January 25, 2016 12:00 am

The staff of Cyrenius H. Booth Library is planning for the future of the town's library.chboothlibrary.org. Registration can also be done, and additional information is available, by calling the libra...

Selectmen Requesting 2.6 Percent Budget Hike

By John Voket

Published: January 24, 2016 12:00 am

Driven primarily by wage and benefit increases along with a substantial commitment to improving local roads, a 2016-17 municipal budget requesting $41,190,942 — a $1.05 million (2.6 percent) increase ...

Storm Creating Closings & Cancellations

By Shannon Hicks

Published: January 23, 2016 12:00 am

New listings will be added as they are received. The winter storm that has been moving north for the past few days arrived in Newtown around 7 am Saturday morning. A Winter Storm Watch that had b...

School Board Approves 2016-17 Calendar, Hears Full-Day Kindergarten Update

By Eliza Hallabeck

Published: January 23, 2016 12:00 am

The Board of Education approved the 2016-17 school calendar at its meeting on Tuesday, January 19, along with hearing presentations on full-day kindergarten and a proposed pilot video game design cour...

Committee Recommends Surfacing Most Unpaved Local Roads

By John Voket

Published: January 23, 2016 12:00 am

An ad hoc committee seated last year by the Board of Selectmen to work on developing long-term strategic plans for maintaining and improving town roads presented its initial findings and recommendatio...

Bolinsky Event Cancelled

Published: January 23, 2016 12:00 am

Due to a conflict with his legislative schedule in Hartford, Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-106th) has had to cancel his Seniors’ Legislative Update scheduled for Friday, January 29, at Newtown Seni...

Kennel Lodges Court Appeal On ZBA Decision

By Andrew Gorosko

Published: January 22, 2016 12:00 am

The firm that owns a residentially-zoned property on Hattertown Road, which holds a kennel, has lodged a court appeal against the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), challenging the ZBA’s recent rejection ...

Council Approves Teacher Contract, Lowers Capital Borrowing Limit

By John Voket

Published: January 22, 2016 12:00 am

The Legislative Council unanimously approved a four-year teacher contract during a regular meeting January 20 that will have a total impact of just under $4 million through the 2019 fiscal year. At th...

Nor'easter Expected For The Weekend

By Shannon Hicks

Published: January 22, 2016 12:00 am

UPDATED (Friday, January 22, 2016; 4:42 pm) The first big snow of the new year may arrive this weekend. Meteorologists have been watching a storm form all week, and now it looks as if southern Ne...

The Way We Were

Malcolm Andrew 'Andy' Bryant

Top Of The Mountain

Garden Club Spring Plant Sale Saturday

Full Slate Of May Programs Planned By Flagpole Photographers

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

Log In

Many Firms Interested In Constructing Hawleyville Sewer

Library Hosting Focus Groups

Selectmen Requesting 2.6 Percent Budget Hike

Storm Creating Closings & Cancellations

School Board Approves 2016-17 Calendar, Hears Full-Day Kindergarten Update

Committee Recommends Surfacing Most Unpaved Local Roads

Bolinsky Event Cancelled

Kennel Lodges Court Appeal On ZBA Decision

Council Approves Teacher Contract, Lowers Capital Borrowing Limit

Nor'easter Expected For The Weekend