Further Budget Reductions

Are Not Necessary

To the Editor:

The proposed budget for next year is less than the current operating budget and will result in curtailed services on both the town and Board of Education sides.

Consumer confidence is at an all-time low caused by the media’s negative reporting. Confidence is boosted when positive information begins to flow and this can occur locally by reporting current information more accurately.

The Board of Finance’s Public Hearing Notice published by The Bee on February 25 was significantly reduced in size and included less information compared to last year’s publication. Critical information noticeably absent included: revenues, total budget comparing this year to the proposed budget, and detail of debt service. Nowhere in the notice, or in the article reporting on the hearing, was it stated that the total budget was $282,780 less, and a 0.27 percent decline to the current budget. I was informed that the notice was printed in accordance with town charter requirements and the town saved on publication costs by reducing the size of the notice.

The article on the budget published March 20 in The Bee stated, “As it stands, the council will receive a proposal representing $103,516,694, a 0.8 percent increase over what the town and school district was provided in the current fiscal year.” This was a factual error. The current fiscal year’s approved budget is $105,464,444. This represents approximately a $2 million reduction, or a 1.85 percent decrease, from the current year.

The Legislative Council’s Public Hearing Notice published in the same Bee issue was even briefer. While OK by charter, it lacked any comparison to the current year. It was not noted that this proposal was $1,947,750, or close to 2 percent less than the current year. Money was saved on publishing, but critical information was left out. We cannot instill confidence and accurately inform the community if important information is not being disseminated. Instead, we foster a climate of doubt, distrust, and uncertainty.

The problem in Newtown is in revenue. Currently the Board of Education revenues are down only $1,674 for next year; however, revenue from the fund balance is proposed to be $619,306 less than that of the current year.

In order to keep the mill rate flat, all that is required is to appropriate a fund balance equal to the current year’s budget. That is approximately $600,000 and can be taken from the town’s surplus, which has grown to more than $10 million. This taxpayer fund should be used to provide needed relief when relief is needed. Use a small portion of it to instill confidence in the community and show that our past prudence is now providing a needed benefit.

Further expenditure reductions are simply not necessary and the budget needs to be supported as is.

Ronald J. Bienkowski

Director of Business

31 Peck’s Lane, Newtown April 1, 2009

(Editor’s note: The 3/20/09 Bee article “Selectmen Send Budget Plan To Council Hearing” referenced in this letter, “the 0.8 percent increase” referred to the increase in taxation, not expenditures. The wording of the article did not make that distinction and was unclear and potentially misleading. See the clarification note on page A2 this week.)