Local Officials Say Taxpayers Are Getting Plenty

For Their Money In The Proposed Budget

By John Voket

So you say you are not getting enough for your tax dollar? The proposed 2007-2008 budget including one of the steeper increases in recent years will provide significant infusions underwriting numerous public health and safety initiatives, much needed technology for local schools, increased tax benefits for the elderly, personnel to address the high school’s accreditation concerns, and a modest hedge against greater tax increases in the next fiscal cycle.

Approval of the budget on April 24 will all but guarantee taxpayers millions of dollars more in savings on bonding costs for future capital initiatives, according to local officials.

The proposal, which totals $102,232,877, will go before voters for consideration in a referendum Tuesday, April 24, with polls open from 6 am to 8 pm at the Newtown Middle School.

Finance board Chairman John Kortze said that the projected multimillion-dollar savings, telegraphed by a recent positive outlook from the town’s bond rating agency Moody’s Investment Service is not just a far-fetched intangible. He said the Moody’s report suggests the town is managing its money well.

“It’s clear these positive reports and the continuing improvement in our bond rating have already saved taxpayers millions over the lifetime of our bond issues,” Mr Kortze said, noting that even the positive outlook can potentially benefit the town in subsequent borrowing.

Town Finance Director Benjamin Spragg has echoed Mr Kortze’s enthusiasm, saying recently that a bump up in the current rating will save $1.5–$2 million on bonds approved for current borrowing, and as much as another half-million dollars on existing bonds by refinancing at the anticipated new rate.

Mr Kortze said Moody’s latest report may represent the most favorable validation of Newtown’s financial practices since the community first requested a bond rating upgrade in the early 1970s.

“Every report we see from Moody’s has lots of good information, and it comes from a completely unaffiliated source,” Mr Kortze said. “We’re very happy about this report because it validates that we have a lot of procedures in place that we adhere to, which is making a positive impact and is helping the town tremendously.”

Then there are the tangibles.

A review of a dozen key expenditures proposed for the next fiscal cycle. formulated in cooperation with local PTA leaders, showed that the spending package will deliver real benefits in terms of services, as well as bricks and mortar investments that will bring a return benefit for years to come.

This year’s budget proposal addresses public health and safety, as well as residents’ concern about speeding and other traffic safety issues, according to First Selectman Herb Rosenthal.

“Traffic issues including speeding, the disregard for traffic control — running red lights and stop signs — and the safety of pedestrians sharing our roadways is the number one source of complaints to our office and to the Police Commission,” Mr Rosenthal said Wednesday. “And this budget, if approved, will provide for our police department to establish a designated traffic enforcement unit whose goal will be to make an even greater impact on traffic control and safety than we already see from our officers.”

In addition, the budget proposal provides $124,000 to upgrade to four new police cruisers that are on the road virtually 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The spending proposal provides $70,000 for half the cost of a new ambulance for the local volunteer ambulance corps, and will be the first full fiscal cycle for Newtown’s exclusive paramedic service, which gets life-saving medical intervention to those calling for help in minutes.

Volunteer fire services will be on par with municipal departments if the proposal is approved, thanks to a $125,000 response program that will station drivers in Newtown’s two busiest fire stations to respond with apparatus the moment a call comes in.

Fire Commission Chairman Kevin Cragin fought for the program during budget deliberations, saying the in-house responder, who will receive a modest stipend during weekday shifts, could conceivably cut response time by as much as ten minutes. He expects the program will boost recruitment and retention because it also underwrites important training time for volunteers with a similar modest stipend.

About $26,000 in the current proposal will pay the debt service on a new pumper truck, as well.

Protecting Minds, Bodies

Kevin’s Community Center, the town’s free public health clinic for under- and uninsured residents, would receive $50,000 if the budget is approved. Founder Dr Z Michael Taweh said the small clinic has made a mighty difference in the lives of hundreds of residents, providing well over $1 million in services over its first three years in existence, including treatment for advanced cancer patients, an individual facing an HIV diagnosis, and dozens of residents with undiagnosed diabetes.

Newtown Youth Services, which is in the process of merging with the Family Counseling Center of Newtown, has a $160,000 appropriation in the proposed budget. Chairman Chris Gardener said the organization is hoping to find a centralized new facility to not only house staff and expanded counseling, volunteer, and recreational services for local youths and families, but to expand its availability of after-school and specialized counseling services to residents in need.

Executive Director Beth Barton said recently that the request for services from residents has doubled in just the past one year. And for those seeking quality child care services, the package has $30,000 earmarked to underwrite services at the Children’s Adventure Center, Mr Rosenthal said.

“For years the budget has provided for numerous agencies who look out for the health and welfare of our neighbors in need,” Mr Rosenthal said. “If it wasn’t for organizations like Kevin’s Community Center, Youth Services, the Family Counseling Center, the Children’s Adventure Center, and many other causes our residents use every day, they would have to go without or depend on assistance from the state or federal government, typically at greater cost.

“Morally and financially, it’s the right thing to do,” he added, pointing out the budget also includes $200,000 more to fund senior tax relief. That senior tax benefit fund will increase from $750,000 to $950,000 if the proposed budget is approved, creating assistance for potentially hundreds more participants.

In addition, $45,000 in debt service is in the proposal for design services for a combined senior and recreation center being proposed for Fairfield Hills. Across town, thousands of users of the Booth Library will continue to benefit from existing and enhanced services if the current budget is endorsed. An allocation of $952,953 is among the proposals.

Judge William Lavery, the library board chairman, said during deliberations that the Hawley Trust, which provides dividends to underwrite building maintenance, improvements, computers, other related equipment and services, is underperforming. His hope in the coming year is to help develop a revised investment program through the trust, as well as other alternative revenue streams, to lessen the taxpayer burden in future years.

School-Side Proposals

On the school side of the budget proposal, approximately $50 million is allocated for salaries and benefits, according to school board member Andrew Buzzi, Jr, who spoke recently at the Legislative Council’s Finance Subcommittee meeting. But part of that the proposal includes $476,728 to fund new teachers and security positions at the high school.

This move directly addresses two of the concerns that warranted the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) placing the school’s accreditation on warning status. During the final budget hearing, school board Chair Elaine McClure said those funds will also address other NEASC concerns underwriting textbooks, technology, and modular classrooms to temporarily help alleviate space issues at the high school.

The school-side proposal also includes $161,371 for a critical Macintosh to PC conversion at Middle Gate School. A similar program for Head O’ Meadow is currently in the proposal, as well.

Middle Gate PTA President Desiree Galassi wrote in a statement of support recently that teachers at her school are experiencing difficulties with things as elementary as downloading curriculum material on the outdated Macs.

Ms Galassi assisted Mary Ann Jacob and Kathy Fetchick of Sandy Hook PTA in circulating a budget information flyer that was delivered to all parents of local school children recently by mail. That tri-fold flyer points out the proposed school budget will fund a reading teacher for the middle school; a technology specialist to be shared throughout all the elementary schools; a half-time math/science position at Reed School; a special education teaching positions at Middle Gate and Reed; provide additional foreign language textbooks in the middle school; and text books at Sandy Hook school.

In addition, the proposal will fund needed musical instruments at the Newtown Middle School and Reed, and $4,500 for mathematics technology supplies for the middle school. Ms McClure said the school-side budget, the lowest increase proposed in more than five years, is sensitive to the taxpayers while meeting students’ needs and the NEASC requirements.

“The town should come together to vote Yes and endorse the budget April 24,” Ms McClure said. “It’s essential we pass this budget on the first vote.”

The consortium of PTAs has joined with town officials including Mr Kortze, Ms McClure, and Mr Rosenthal in strongly advocating for voters to turn out and endorse the budget. Mr Rosenthal believes the combination of aforementioned initiatives, and the assurance of future savings through reduced bonding costs, justifies the endorsement of all eligible voters on April 24.

“I believe voting down this proposal would be penny-wise and pound foolish,” he said. “The tiny reduction taxpayers would realize from further cuts to a failed budget would jeopardize millions in future savings we will likely enjoy through a bond rating upgrade.”