Joseph “Joe” Cartmell Bossert, Sr, age 80, formerly of Sandy Hook, passed away March 18, 2020 after a short illness. He was born September 24, 1939 to John E. B...
Cheryl McCaffrey, a fifth and sixth grade Project Challenge teacher at Reed Intermediate School (RIS) in Newtown was recently awarded the 2020 Weller Excellence...
May 19, 1995
The Borough Board of Burgesses is exploring several ways to preserve and protect Newtown’s Main Street area including the creation of a smalle...
BETHEL— Caraluzzi’s Markets received an order recently from Nuvance Health for 1,700 assorted jumbo gourmet cupcakes. The cupcakes were to be given out to every...
I’m expecting to curl up in a rosy glow anywhere I go on Monday, May 4,when the world celebrates International Firefighters Day. “For the first time, the Nation...
BETHEL— Though Bethel’s Byrd’s Books is currently closed to browsing, on Monday, May 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, supporters are invited to join owner Alice Hutchin...
The incredible, 92-year life of Pauline Marion (Wright) Fox began on a farm in Breezy Hill, N.H., August 31, 1928, born to Florence and Elwood Wright. As the yo...
PLEASE NOTE: In light of ongoing efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, including limits on group gatherings, most houses of worship are closed at this tim...
Thursday, April 23: 10:56 am, Medical Assist, Echo Valley Rd, Newtown Hook & Ladder (NHL); 12:54 pm, Public Service, 12 Stone Gate Dr, Sandy Hook Fire Depar...
The issue is not that our taxes will go up. The issue is that the assessment came at a time when the pandemic brought folks to Newtown in a frenzy to buy small houses (like mine <2000 sq ft). 13 houses on my street with long time residents sold in less than 2 days each with most getting more than asking. And these 'comps' were used for my assessment (42% increase). Now that the market has stalled, housing prices have dropped dramatically. We will pay increased taxes for the next 5 years until the next assessment corrects this anomaly. And wait for the car tax! Not to mention the 'R' word.
I hope that concerned folks will focus on the budget that we vote to approve each year. It is the primary determinant of the taxes we pay. Assessments are, in a way, the distribution or redistribution of that tax burden across taxpayers based on the value of their homes. Even if there were no revaluation taking place, we would be paying more tax because we voted for an increased budget. The only other offset would be a meaningful increase in businesses or new homes providing additional tax revenues. As I understand it, the mil rate will adjust based on valuations (grand list) to provide the budget we vote for. Taxes will go up until we spend less or get more revenue from new sources.
Editor's Note: It should also be pointed out that NYA (and NVAC) built their own building — which has a footprint larger than Newsylum, Parent Connection, and the Ambulance headquarters combined — that each of the latter organizations also contributed their own significant funds to their construction and improvement projects; and that Newsylum and the Parent Connection both improved existing abandoned buildings that may have otherwise continued to be unused and deteriorating.
