Norma H. Andrews, 94, of Nunnawauk Meadows in Newtown died on January 1 after a brief illness. She was born on February 14, 1922, on Main Street in Washingtonville, N.Y., to Clara (Felter) Hookey and ...
Evelyn C. Becker died on January 13, at Maefair Health Care Center in Trumbull. She was born in Bridgeport to Susan and Anthony Cuvitilo. She was the wife of the late W. Rex Becker, who predeceased he...
Jerome "Jerry" H. Shapiro, of Sandy Hook, died peacefully on January 11 while under hospice care at River Glen Health Care Center in Southbury. He was born in Port Chester, N.Y., on August 4, 1929, so...
George E. Mattegat, Sr, moved to Newtown from Monroe when he was 21 years old. He spent the next 66 years of his life here, before moving to The Villages in Florida in 2014. On January 6, at the age o...
Helen Vengren "Jackie" Reck, 80, of Easton died January 7 at St Vincent's Medical Center. She was the beloved wife of the late Walter M. Reck. Born in Dracut, Mass., on June 17, 1936, she was a daught...
Beverly M. Muehlenbein, 82, of New Milford died January 6, at Danbury Hospital after a brief illness. She was born April 27, 1934, in Neenah, Wis., a daughter of the late Ethel (Sutton) and Alvin Mant...
Nancy Butts Whittemore, 91, of Sandy Hook died January 6, following a brief illness. She was born on November 5, 1925, in Newton, Mass., to Louise (Mirick) and F. Marsena Butts. She was the beloved wi...
George Emil Mattegat, Sr, 87, died January 6 at Leesburgh Hospital in Florida, with his wife and friends at his bedside. He was born in Bridgeport, to Ada and Emil Mattegat, on July 19, 1929. He grew ...
The voters certainly spoke — and I respect the outcome — but let’s not forget that a “majority” doesn’t mean everyone agreed. Many of us are deeply concerned about the rising cost of living here. Supporting schools and services is important, but so is ensuring that residents can afford to stay in the town they love.
We all want Newtown to be a great place to live, but lately, it’s starting to feel less like “Nicer in Newtown” and more like “More Expensive in Newtown.” That’s not sustainable, and it’s not a criticism of the town itself — it’s a call for responsible budgeting and long-term planning that doesn’t rely on tax increases year after year.
I hope future decisions will reflect not just the desire to maintain services, but also the need to ease the financial burden on residents.
I appreciate the passion behind this message, and I absolutely understand the desire to invest in our town. That said, I voted no — not because I don't care about Newtown, but because I do. Fiscal responsibility is not about ignoring problems, it’s about making sure we address them in a sustainable and transparent way.
It’s frustrating to feel like every year there’s a new “urgent” reason to raise taxes, with little serious effort to curb spending or prioritize needs. I worry this just sets the stage for another round of increases next year. That doesn't mean I’m against education, safety, or our town’s future — it means I believe in accountability and in asking tough questions about how our money is managed.
Voting no wasn't a rejection of Newtown — it was a call for more thoughtful, balanced leadership. I hope future conversations can include all perspectives, not just those willing to write a bigger check.
The voters spoke, loud and clear that they support our schools and municipal services. The majority vote was a mandate to keep delivering well rated education services and keep it" Nicer in Newtown."
Thank you LeReine, for speaking out about this. The list of public servants who are unfairly targeted for abuse just for doing their jobs has been growing. It is a testament to the power of propaganda that otherwise good and well-meaning people can get so emotional as to act out in this way.
