We teach our children about our constitution and about how our ancestors fought for the right to self govern when they established this country. We teach our children about the suffrage movement and about the civil rights movement, which enabled ever
We teach our children about our constitution and about how our ancestors fought for the right to self govern when they established this country. We teach our children about the suffrage movement and about the civil rights movement, which enabled everyone the right to vote and to self govern. In school we teach our children about the responsibility that comes with that right. What are we teaching them at home? We all know we as parents teach by example. Teach them to vote.
My parentâs generation was the WWII generation. They still all vote today, I believe, because they truly feel they sacrificed their lives for our country and for what it stands for. I am not sure what happened to my generation and the generation that followed me. There appears to be very little ownership of our responsibility to voice how we want our country be run.
The town government is the place where your vote has the largest impact. On April 27 we will decide by our votes how we choose to live. We will balance the value of how we live in this town (via the town services like police protection, public library, and road maintenance as well as our educational system) against what we are willing to spend (via our taxes).
The budget that will be placed before us, in my opinion, is underfunded based on the needs of our town. Both the education budget and the town budget have been cut to such an extent that we will feel a negative difference in how we live in this town.
However, I will vote for this budget because I believe that the Finance Board and the Legislative Council have labored hard over what the needs of the town are and what they believe we are willing to pay for with our tax dollars.
To vote No or to not vote will mean that the budget may fail and be cut even farther which will devastate our town services and educational system.
On April 27, you have the opportunity to take responsibility for running this town. Do so by voting. Support the town and the schools by voting Yes.
Sincerely,
Deborah Hoffmann
Antler Pine Road, Sandy Hook                                       April 7, 2004