If You Wanted Us There,

You Would Have Invited Us

To the Editor:

In last week’s issue of The Newtown Bee, it was reported in the story “Budget Hearing Yields A Few Questions” that some people were surprised that there were only a smattering of comments and questions from the public regarding the proposed 2003–2004 budget.

The hearing was supposed to give the finance board an indication of whether voters are ready to dig into their pockets and support the total proposed package of $81.2 million, including a school budget of $50.7 million, up $4.8 million from last year.

“This is a night for us to listen to the public,” the article quoted finance Chairman John Kortze as saying when he opened the hearings and introduced First Selectman Herb Rosenthal and Superintendent of Newtown Schools Evan Pitkoff.

I attended the hearing and was surprised by the very small number of people spread out along the outside fringes of the vast Middle School auditorium. However, later that evening and during the next day, when I asked some friends and neighbors why they had not attended, I was bothered when nearly all responded that they did not know about the hearing.

Is it possible that the town did little to invite the public? You decide. Did the town send out mailings to invite public comment? No. It did not. Did the town make any phone calls? No. Did the town make sure that the event was listed in The Newtown Bee’s Community Calendar section on page two, along with the other town meetings? No, it did not. Did the town post fliers or bulletins in public places like town hall or the library in advance of the meeting? No, the town did not do that either. Did the town at least do what many other towns do and place a large sign on the lawn of the middle school or in front of town hall which read: “BUDGET HEARING WED 7:30 PM”? No. It did not. Did the town place an ad or an official notice in the newspaper the week before? Yes. In fact, a very big one. In the back of section C, where some people found it, but most I believe, did not. A nice attempt, but far too little for a budget hearing. How much feedback did the Board of Finance expect if it did little to invite the public in the first place?

Once again, as a member of the taxpaying public, I have to assume that this is a deliberate practice because it is not the first or the second time that this problem has been brought to the attention of our leadership. Late last year, in front of town hall, I asked First Selectman Herb Rosenthal why the town refuses to advertise its important public meetings or at least use a large easy-to-read sign in front of town hall. He responded that the Borough of Newtown has jurisdiction and that he cannot do anything about it.

 As much as we would all like to think that Newtown is still Mayberry RFD, it is not. We can’t count on our barbers and the town sheriff to spread the word to 8,000 households and 25,000 people. And more importantly, the Board of Finance and the Legislative Council should not wait for people like me and Aunt Bee and to reject an $80 million budget in April to realize that voters are not ready to dig in to their pockets for another overall increase $4.5 million.

Kevin Fitzgerald

24 Old Farm Hill Road, Newtown                               March 11, 2003