A Challenge To Cut Costs

To the Editor:

During the last several weeks of budget deliberations we keep hearing about a “status quo budget” with little room for change. While households have had to rein in spending, it seems that our government is content to raise taxes just under three percent.

Perhaps our leadership should be asking themselves where they should be cutting expenditures and provide a zero increase budget, even after paying contractual increases.

If you’re looking for help in doing this, I’d like to suggest a few areas to reconsider:

With school enrollment declining, how can we be considering increases in the number of teachers?

Is there a possibility of refinancing some of our debt to reduce annual debt service?

With all of the technology introduced into the town offices, how can we accomplish a reduction of staff in these offices?

How can we change work rules at Public Works to become more efficient and can we stagger work hours to reduce overtime costs?

Can we affect a significant reduction (50 percent) in the FFH budget for management and mothballing costs at Fairfield Hills for buildings that realistically will never be used?

These are just some observations I have made. I challenge our selectmen and Legislative Council to work harder at significantly reducing the budget requests.

Gary Tannenbaum

Pond Brook Road, Newtown                                     February 9, 2011