The Board of Finance (BOF) approved three key appropriations at its August 26 meeting before sending them to the Legislative Council for consideration.
The Pootatuck River was roiling Thursday morning, and hundreds of local homes were in the dark after the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida passed through the region during the overnight hours of September 1-2.
After spirited discussion, the Legislative Council this week voted 9-3 to extend a local indoor mask mandate that was announced nearly a week earlier by First Selectman Dan Rosenthal.
Ahead of a possible storm surge when the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida reach this area, managers of Lake Lillinonah have announced a planned water level lowering to begin tonight.
As construction on the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial gets under way, the Public Buildings and Site Committee discusses the costs of materials and how to keep the project within budget.
The Planning & Zoning Commission approved some changes to the conditions of approval for buildings at 135-139 Mount Pleasant Road following an appeal. The commission has concerns about the visibility of parked cars on the property.
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.
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.
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.